ABSTRACT
Adhesiolysis refers to the operative procedure involving the division of adhesions. Adhesions form when a fibrous band or sheath of fibrosis develops between two mesothelial surfaces in the peritoneal cavity following injury and subsequent repair. The mesothelial injury may be either mechanical, usually caused by the surgeon, such as incisions, lacerations, contusion, abrasions, or tearing, or non-mechanical, such as that caused by heat (diathermy or laser), sepsis, ischemia, malignancy, foreign body reaction, inflammatory reaction, or irradiation. Adhesions may form anywhere in the peritoneal cavity, but our attention here will be focused on those involving the small bowel Figure 4.5.1. A discussion of the pathogenesis of adhesions is outside the scope of this chapter. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780429100932/76c97e6a-a85e-4c07-8d0b-d32156ce347e/content/fig4_5_1.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
