Effect of L-arginine on the resolution rate of postoperative ileus in patients with urgent abdominal pathology

Abstract

Background. Postoperative ileus is widespread in the postoperative period and occurs not only after extended operations on the abdominal cavity, retroperitoneal cavity, but also after minor surgical interventions, including laparoscopic operations [1, 2]. The aim of this study is to increase the effectiveness of intensive care after urgent abdominal surgeries by developing a drug correction for bowel motility disorders based on studying of the motor and evacuator function of the gastrointestinal tract, inflammatory markers, hemodynamic parameters and electrolyte blood composition.
 Materials and methods. 51 patients were examined, who underwent urgent surgical interventions with laparotomy access for infringed hernias, acute intestinal obstruction, perforation of duodenal ulcers. Depending on the variant of drug correction of postoperative intestinal motility disorder, patients were divided into 2 groups. The first (control) group (n = 27). In the postoperative period, the pharmacological correction of the motor-evacuator function of the gastrointestinal tract was performed by combining a solution of 0,5% metoclopramide and neostigmine bromide. The second (main) group (n = 24). In the postoperative period, the pharmacological correction of the motor-evacuator function of the gastrointestinal tract was performed by combining 0.5% metoclopramide solution and L-arginine (Tivortin, Yuriya-Farm, Ukraine). Motorevacuation disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (the frequency of development of bloating, nausea, vomiting, delay in the escape of gases, an independent moving of gases, measurement of intra-abdominal pressure), parameters of hemodynamics, the level of systolic, diastolic, mean arterial pressure, cardiac index, stroke volume, total peripheral vascular resistance, heart rate, minute volume of blood circulation and left ventricular power, markers of inflammation (leukocyte count, fibrinogen, IL-lα, TNFα, IL-10, calculation of leukocyte intoxication index, the study of electrolytes of blood serum (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Cl- ) were studied before and after 1st, 3rd and 7th days after the operation.
 Results. The use of L-arginine leads to a decrease in the phenomena of peripheral vasospasm, which, improving the microcirculation of the intestinal wall leads to a faster recovery of the motor-evacuation function of the gastrointestinal tract. With standard prokinetic therapy (combination of metoclopramide with neostigmine bromide), the number of patients with elevated intra-abdominal pressure increases in 92,1%, оn the second day after surgery, the number of patients with elevated intra-abdominal pressure exceeds the norm in 100%. The resumption of intestinal motility 3 days after the operation is accompanied by the normalization of intra-abdominal pressure in 55% of patients. Against the backdrop of the use of L-arginine with metoclopramide on day 1 after the operation, the number of patients with an increase in intra-abdominal pressure does not exceed 50%. 37,5% of them have elevated intra-abdominal pressure, 8,3% have abdominal hypertension of the 1st degree. On the second day of the observation, intraabdominal pressure in 41,7% patients normalized, abdominal hypertension of 1 degree was noted in 16,7%. of them. On the 3rd day after surgery, intra-abdominal pressure corresponded to the norm in 79,2% of patients, abdominal hypertension of 1st degree was registered in 8,3% of patients.
 Сonclusions. The use of a combination of metoclopramide with L-arginine reduces the stress on the myocardium, activates - anti-inflammatory link of the cytokine system, accelerates the normalization of intra-abdominal pressure, increases the rate of self-evacuation, independent defecation, and reduces the patients’ stay in the intensive care, which makes it possible to recommend it as the most optimal remedy for resuming motor activity intestines after urgent operations in abdominal surgery.