Efficacy of Beta-Aminopropionitrile, Contractubex®, Nigella sativa Oil, Aloe Vera Oil, and Soybean Oil in Preventing Postoperative Adhesions in an Experimental Thyroidectomy Model

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> Background/Aim: Adhesions in reoperative thyroid surgery lead to prolonged operation times and an increase in postoperative complications. The use of anti-adhesive agents during the initial surgery may reduce the incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and permanent hypoparathyroidism, which are among the most significant complications associated with reoperative surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of beta-aminopropionitrile (BAPN), Contractubex ^{<bold>→</bold>} , (CT), nigella sativa oil (NSO), aloe vera oil (AVO), and soybean oil (SO) in preventing adhesions following thyroidectomy in an experimental rat model. Materials and methods Thirty-six female Wistar-Albino rats were randomly divided into six equal groups (n = 6 per group). All rats underwent right subtotal thyroidectomy. The following substances were applied to groups 1–5 in order of operation: BAPN, Contractubex ^{<bold>→</bold>} , nigella sativa oil, aloe vera oil, and soybean oil. No substance was applied to the control group (group 6). All rats were sacrificed on postoperative day 14. Adhesions were scored macroscopically and histopathologically. Results The BAPN group showed a significantly lower macroscopic adhesion score compared to the control group (p = 0.015). The CT group had a significantly lower polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) score compared to both the control (p = 0.015) and NSO (p = 0.015) groups. No statistically significant differences were observed in the remaining histopathological adhesion scores between any of the intervention groups and the control group (p &gt; 0.05). Conclusions BAPN significantly reduced macroscopic adhesion formation following experimental thyroidectomy and may therefore help decrease surgical complications in high-risk candidates for reoperative thyroid, parathyroid, or neck surgery. Further experimental and clinical studies are needed to confirm the anti-adhesive efficacy and safety of BAPN before translation into clinical practice.