New quantitative variables to measure postoperative pericardial adhesions. Useful tools in experimental research 1 Novas variáveis quantitativas para avaliação das aderências pericárdicas. Ferramentas úteis na pesquisa experimental

Purpose: To improve the measurement system, during a research for the prevention of adhesions, we explored the feasibility of introducing three continuous numeric variables to quantify the intensity of pericardial adhesions. Methods: To validate these three new numeric variables - time spent to dissect the adhesions (�˚ t), the amount of sharp dissection (ShpD) and the adhesion’s collagen area (ACA) - as useful tools in measuring the severity of pericardial adhesions, data from a randomized study on adhesion prevention enrolling twenty-four swine, were analysed. A statistical Spearman’s test and regressions models were applied to verify the correlation and the relationship between the results of a standard severity score (SS) and �˚ t, between SS and ShpD used in adhesiolysis and, also, between SS and ACA. Results: There was a statistically significant correlation between SS and �˚ t, between SS and ShpD, as well as between SS and ACA, all measured by the Spearman’s test (r=0.897, r=0.932, r=0.66; p<0.01, respectively). Through a non-linear regression, an exponential relation of SS with ShpD (R 2 =0.915) and SS with �˚ t (R 2 = 0.917) was found. Conclusion: The time spent to dissect the