Background
To date, no single method has been used successfully in eliminating peritoneal adhesion formation after major abdominal surgery. This study evaluated the individual and continuous administrative effect of an antihistamine drug, dimetindene maleate, in the prevention of adhesion development following surgical trauma

Material and Methods
De novo experimental adhesions were induced by standardized trauma of the peritoneum and large bowel in 36 New Zealand White rabbits. The animals were randomized into three groups receiving intraperitoneal saline, intravenous dimetindene maleate (0•1 mg/kg) and dimetindene maleate in a continuous administration manner the 1st , 3rd, 5th and 7th postoperative days. Ten days later, adhesion scores and incidence were assessed by two independent surgeons. and surface area by computer-aided planimetry.

Results
Treatment with either dimetindene maleate in a single dose or dimetindene maleate in a continuous administrative manner significantly reduced adhesion scores and increased the incidence of adhesion-free animals in an equipotent manner. The effect of treatment on 1st , 3rd, 5th and 7th day with dimetindene maleate, upon severity, incidence and surface area of adhesions was more pronounced than that of a single dose

Conclusion
Dimetindene maleate may be used safely and efficaciously to prevent surgically induced adhesions