Search

Artificial clots made from fibrin glue with and without an inhibitor of fibrinolysis can be used to treat gastrointestinal bleeding. We have been unable to find descriptions of the effects of acid and pepsin upon such artificial clots. Therefore, 10(-2) mol/l epsilon aminocaproic acid was added to fibrin glue in vitro at acid concentrations of pH 1.0 and pH 5.5. Pepsin was added at 9000 U/50 ml, the expected value for fasting human subjects. There was a highly significant reduction in clot survival at pH 1.0. At pH 5.5, clot weight was also significantly decreased with pepsin, compared to control. Thus pepsin and acidity greatly affect survival of artificial clots, but the addition of epsilon aminocaproic acid did not affect clot survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

William D SpotnitzSurgical Therapeutic Advancement Center (STAC), Department of Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA Abstract: Fibrin sealant liquid was approved for use in the US in 1998 by the Food and Drug Administration as the first of a new generation of hemostats, sealants, and adhesives. The initial fibrin sealant liquid use in the country was limited by obstacles in the formulation's ease of use (usability). Specifically, it was associated with cumbersome preparation, including thawing, mixing, and applicator loading. Although these challenges have been addressed to some extent, a new generation of fibrin sealants in the form of patches has been introduced, boasting significant efficacy as well as elimination of the liquid preparation complexities. Additionally, the patches may provide enhancements in efficacy because they are easily combined with manual pressure to arrest bleeding. In addition, usability has been increased because they may be stored at room temperature and they are provided in packages ready for immediate use. This review will highlight the capabilities of the two Food and Drug Administration-approved fibrin sealant patches and review the recent literature on fibrin sealant patch use. Keywords: fibrin sealant, liquid, patches, hemostats, safety, efficacy, usability, cost

William D SpotnitzThe Surgical Therapeutic Advancement Center, Department of Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USAAbstract: The purpose of this review is to clarify the present use of fibrin sealant in rhyditectomy procedures and help maximize the appropriate and safe application of this material. A set of terms and definitions for hemostats, sealants, and adhesives based on group, category, and class will be employed to highlight the specific capabilities of fibrin sealant. Fibrin sealant has now emerged as an example of maximizing the usefulness of a surgical agent and is the only product with Food and Drug Administration approval in all three groupings: hemostats; sealants; and adhesives. A variety of manufacturers’ fibrin sealant products are available including multiple liquids and one patch. A single liquid product is now specifically indicated for skin flap adherence during rhytidectomy. The unique characteristic of this particular two component fibrin sealant adhesive agent is its slower polymerization rate as a result of a low thrombin concentration which when combined with fibrinogen permits adequate time for manipulation of flaps and tissues prior to final fixation. In addition to its flap adherence and potential space elimination capability, fibrin sealant is also an excellent blood clotting agent and can seal tissues to prevent lymphatic leak or serous fluid accumulation. Thus, it is almost ideally suited to reduce the occurrence of fluid accumulation, hematomas, ecchymoses, and swelling, as well as to possibly eliminate the need for drains following rhytidectomy. A literature review of fibrin sealant in rhytidectomy is included to help define the current state of its clinical use. The author’s recommendations for the best use of this material during facial procedures are also provided.Keywords: hemostats, sealants, adhesives, blood, lymph, serous fluid

Hemostats, sealants, and adhesives are an integral part of surgical patient care. Nurses who have knowledge about these agents can better help ensure safe, efficient surgical patient care. As a caregiver and patient advocate, the perioperative nurse must understand the most current information about these agents and be prepared to facilitate the transfer of this knowledge to all caregivers. Information about these agents, including the contraindications, warnings, and precautions associated with their use as well as their preparation and application, is provided here. Algorithms designed to clarify the best options for using hemostats, sealants, and adhesives are included as well., (Copyright © 2014 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe an outbreak of mediastinitis in heart transplant recipients., Design: Retrospective and contemporaneous cohort, Setting: Urban tertiary-care university hospital with a large cardiac transplantation program., Patients: Heart transplant recipients., Interventions: Modifications of donor harvest technique; procedures aimed at decreasing skin and mucosal bacterial colonization; strict aseptic technique in the intensive care unit; and aggressive policing of established infection control practices., Results: In April 1999, mediastinitis rates among heart transplant recipients increased abruptly from a baseline of 6 cases per 100 procedures to sequential quarterly rates of 22, 31, and 50 cases per 100 procedures, whereas infection rates in other cardiac operations were unchanged. Bacteria causing these infections were multidrug-resistant "nosocomial" organisms. The epidemic occurred 2 months after a change in the United Network for Organ Sharing organ allocation algorithm. This change resulted in an increase in the duration of preoperative hospitalization from a median of 52 to 79 days (P = .008) and may have promoted prolonged hospitalization of patients with high illness severity. Aggressive multidisciplinary interventions were temporally associated with a return to preoperative mediastinitis rates without changing length of hospitalization prior to transplantation., Conclusions: Changes in organ allocation for transplant that prolong waiting time in the hospital and alter illness acuity may lead to increased rates of postoperative infection. Measures to limit bacterial colonization may be a helpful countervailing strategy.

Previous studies comparing the thrombotic complications of cryoprecipitated fibrin sealant containing bovine thrombin on microvascular venous anastomoses in a rat epigastric free flap model revealed deleterious outcomes regarding flap survival with higher concentrations of topical bovine thrombin. This study was designed to compare three internationally available fibrin sealants, one experimental fibrin monomer sealant that does not require thrombin, and human thrombin alone as to their effects on the survival of an established rat epigastric free flap model. Ninety Sprague-Dawley rats (400 to 600 g) were prepared for abdominal surgery, and an epigastric-based skin flap was raised. The single vein draining the flap was clamped, divided, and reconnected using standard microvascular suturing techniques. Before release of the clamps, the chosen additive was applied precisely to the anastomosis. Additional material was then added to the raw surface of the flap. The animals were divided into seven treatment groups, each receiving 1 ml of commercial or investigational fibrin sealant or human thrombin alone: one control group receiving no additive treatment, four fibrin sealant groups receiving treatment with commercial or investigational fibrin sealant preparations, and two groups receiving different concentrations (500 IU/ml and 1000 IU/ml) of human thrombin applied to the anastomoses and the surrounding tissue. Flap survival was assessed at 7 days postoperatively. This study supports the contention that microvascular free flap survival based on microvascular venous anastomotic patency was adversely effected by high concentrations of thrombin. Lower concentrations (500 IU/ml and less) of thrombin did not seem to affect flap survival. One test product was composed of a fibrin monomer sealant, which obviates the need for the thrombin additive. This group's survival rate was not statistically different from that of the control group. Thus, for microvascular anastomoses, lower concentrations of thrombin or a sealant devoid of thrombin seem to be best for microvascular anastomotic patency.

In chronic coronary artery disease, resting myocardial dysfunction can exist despite normal resting transmural myocardial blood flow (MBF). We hypothesized that this phenomenon occurs because of diminished endocardial MBF reserve. MBF (measured with radiolabeled microspheres) and wall thickening (WT) (measured with echocardiography) were assessed in 7 dogs after the development of severe left ventricular dysfunction caused by placement of ameroid constrictors on the left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex arteries and 3 weeks after selective bypass surgery to the LAD. Before surgery, the mean transmural MBF at rest and at peak dobutamine dose in the LAD bed were 1.1 +/- 0.5 and 3.0 +/- 1.5 mL/min per gram, respectively, and were not significantly changed after LAD bypass. The resting endocardial-to-epicardial MBF ratio (EER) was also normal before bypass (1.5 +/- 0.6) and remained unchanged after surgery. The prebypass EER at peak dobutamine dose, however, was markedly diminished in the LAD bed (0.7 +/- 0.3) and improved significantly (1.3 +/- 0.8, P <.01) after surgery. Resting WT in the LAD bed also improved to normal levels (36% +/- 4% versus 13% +/- 6%, P =.0001) and no longer demonstrated a biphasic response to dobutamine. In comparison, the nonbypassed left circumflex bed continued to show reduced resting WT (12% +/- 6%), a biphasic response to dobutamine, and abnormal EER during rest and dobutamine (0.7 +/- 0.3). We conclude that persistent myocardial dysfunction in the presence of normal resting transmural MBF can occur as a result of diminished endocardial MBF reserve, with transmural MBF reserve remaining normal.

Background: Patients who have axillary dissections during lumpectomy or modified radical mastectomy for breast carcinoma accumulate serosanguinous fluid, potentially resulting in a seroma. Currently accepted practice includes insertion of one or more drains for fluid evacuation. This multicenter, randomized, controlled, phase II study was undertaken to evaluate whether a virally inactivated, investigational fibrin sealant is safe and effective when used as a sealing agent to reduce the duration and volume of serosanguinous fluid drainage and to determine the dose response of this effect., Study Design: Patients undergoing lumpectomy or modified radical mastectomy were randomized to treatment with 4, 8, or 16 mL of fibrin sealant or control (no agent) at the axillary dissections site. Patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy also received an additional 4 or 8 mL of fibrin sealant at the skin flap site. Efficacy was evaluated by the number of days required for wound drainage and the volume of fluid drainage compared with control. Safety was confirmed by clinical course, the absence of viral seroconversion, and no major complications attributable to the sealant., Results: The 4-mL axillary dissection dose of fibrin sealant significantly reduced the duration and quantity of fluid drainage from the axilla following lumpectomy (p < or = 0.05). In the modified radical mastectomy patients, a 16-mL axillary dissection dose combined with an 8-mL skin flap dose was significantly effective in reducing the number of days to drain removal (p < or = 0.05) and fluid drainage (p < or = 0.01). There were no fibrin sealant patient viral seroconversions and no major complications attributable to the sealant. A number of wound infections were noted, although this may represent a center-specific effect., Conclusions: Application of fibrin sealant following axillary dissection at the time of lumpectomy or modified radical mastectomy can significantly decrease the duration and quantity of serosanguinous drainage. The viral safety of the product was also supported.

Objectives/hypothesis: Pain is a major cause of morbidity after tonsillectomy. Although various efforts have been made to reduce pain, the use of oral analgesics, which can have adverse side effects, remains the standard of care. It is hypothesized that fibrin sealant, used to achieve hemostasis and enhance healing in many surgical procedures, might help decrease pain after this operation., Study Design: A prospective, randomized, blinded study was performed on 20 children aged 5 to 17 years who were undergoing tonsillectomy, to evaluate the efficacy of FIBRIN SEALANT in reducing postoperative pain., Methods: All patients pre-donated 40 mL of blood from which autologous concentrated fibrinogen was prepared by cryoprecipitation. In the fibrin sealant group, fibrinogen and topical bovine thrombin were sprayed onto the surgical site to form fibrin sealant at the conclusion of tonsillectomy. The 10 patients in the control group (C) received no fibrin sealant. Patients rated their level of pain immediately after surgery and at regular intervals for 3 days after surgery using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (1-6). Emesis, postoperative bleeding, medications, and adverse events were also evaluated., Results: At 7.00 P.M. on postoperative day (POD) 0, the mean +/- SD fibrin sealant group pain score (2.9+/-0.41 units) was significantly lower than for the C group (4.1+/-0.43 units; P < or = .05). There was also a trend in favor of less pain in the fibrin sealant group at 7:00 P.M. on POD 1, with a mean of 3.5+/-0.43 units versus 2.4+/-0.48 units for C (P = .15). The odds of a patient in C experiencing emesis were 8.16 times higher, (P < or = .05) than for patients in the fibrin sealant group., Conclusions: Fibrin sealant significantly reduced pain the evening after pediatric tonsillectomy and also decreased the chance of experiencing emesis. Thus fibrin sealant may be clinically useful as an adjunct to tonsillectomy.

The utilization of fibrin sealants to augment hemostasis, seal tissues, and facilitate targeted delivery of drugs is increasing. In 1985, a hospital-based program was established to provide autologous and allogeneic cryoprecipitate that serves as a fibrin sealant when combined with bovine thrombin. To date, more than 4,000 patients have been treated with this product at our institution, with an efficacy rate greater than 90%. Collaboration among surgical services and the blood bank fostered multispecialty expertise with this product that led, in 1997, to the establishment of the University of Virginia Tissue Adhesive Center. The Tissue Adhesive Center is a multidisciplinary center whose physician director and nursing and administrative support staff facilitate basic research, laboratory investigation, and preclinical and clinical trials with collaborators throughout the university. The Tissue Adhesive Center also provides educational programs and clinical consultation, and tracks and participates in peer review of sealant use. The licensure of a commercially produced, virally inactivated, pooled-plasma fibrin sealant in May 1998 provided an alternative source of adhesive. Utilization of the commercial product surpassed use of the blood bank product in April 1999. At present, use of the commercial product is approximately 3 times that of the blood bank-produced sealant. This report reviews the clinical uses of fibrin sealant, its regulatory history, the production of fibrin sealants, the evolution of a blood bank fibrin sealant program, the development of the Tissue Adhesive Center, and the utilization of commercial and blood bank-produced sealant at our university hospital.

The efficacy and safety of tissue adhesives needs to be clearly defined. A thrombin-based preparation of fibrin sealant has recently been shown to have deleterious effects on microvascular anastomoses in an animal model. The authors found that fibrin sealant constructed with a high concentration of bovine thrombin (1,000 IU per milliliter) was detrimental to microvascular patency when applied to the anastomosis in a rat free flap model. The microvenous anastomosis had the highest rate of thrombosis and failure in this model. A nonthrombin-based fibrin sealant has recently become available for experimental investigation. This study examined the thrombogenic effect of this nonthrombin-based fibrin sealant on microvenous anastomoses in a rat free flap model compared with the effect of traditionally prepared fibrin sealant with varying concentrations of thrombin. The conclusions reveal that flap survival with application of the nonthrombin-based fibrin sealant to the anastomosis was comparable with flap survival of the control animals. Flap survival with application of the traditionally prepared thrombin-based fibrin sealant was also comparable with flap survival of the control animals when a concentration of 500 IU per milliliter of thrombin was used. However, flap survival decreased significantly (p <0.005) when a concentration of 1,000 IU per milliliter of thrombin was used in the construct of the fibrin adhesive. These results support the previous findings of the harmful effects of thrombin when used in high concentrations and applied to the microvenous anastomosis of this free flap model. Moreover, this initial investigation with a nonthrombin-based fibrin sealant did not show any deleterious effects on the microvenous anastomosis compared with control animals.

Decreased exhaled nitric oxide (NO) is found in chronic sinusitis. NO metabolites (nitrates, nitrites, and S-nitrosothiols) were measured in sinus lavages with a rabbit model of chronic sinusitis. NO metabolite levels (mean +/- SD) were 3.0+/-1.6 micromol/L in uninfected rabbits, 10.7+/-11.4 micromol/L in infected animals, and 7.6+/-5.4 micromol/L in postantrostomy recovering animals. Infected sinuses had elevated levels of NO metabolites that were statistically significant (P<0.01) when compared with uninfected sinuses. Mucociliary transport velocity was measured in uninfected (16.0+/-5.7 mm/minute), infected (5.2+/-1.3 mm/minute), and recovery phases (3.0 mm/minute). Endoscopic appearance, light and electron microscopy, and bacterial cultures improved during recovery. Elevated levels of NO metabolites were found during chronic sinusitis and began to return to normal levels during recovery. The possible link between NO in epithelial autotoxicity and host defense mechanisms warrants further investigation.

Postoperative complications of sinus surgery include bleeding, infection, and synechiae. Improved subjective outcomes in humans treated with fibrin sealant (FS) after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) have been reported. Streptococcus pneumoniae was used to initiate chronic sinusitis in occluded rabbit sinuses in order to evaluate the role of FS in mucosal healing. Six weeks later, all animals had maxillary antrostomies. Homologous FS-containing ciprofloxicin (100 mg/mL) and clindamycin (15 mg/mL) was applied topically to treatment rabbits (n = 9). Control rabbits (n = 10) received no antibiotics. Two weeks into the recovery phase after antrostomies, all animals were re-examined. Mucociliary transport velocity (mean +/- standard deviation in mm/minute) was measured in all sinuses (n = 38) during healthy (100% measurable, 13.82 +/- 4.16), infected (18% measurable, 4.74 +/- 0.42), and recovery phases (5% measurable, 6.30 +/- 4.67). In both groups, mucopurulent discharge was present in the majority of sinuses (control group 18/20, FS group 16/18). In addition, there was no significant difference in the recovery phase between the two groups when comparing changes in the size of antrostomies, light microscopy, or culture clearance. Scanning electron microscopy did suggest a possible improvement in ciliary regeneration in the FS group. Application of FS-containing antibiotics did not appear to improve healing after ESS in our rabbit model of chronic sinusitis.

Background: Reperfusion injury after pulmonary transplantation can contribute significantly to postoperative pulmonary dysfunction. We hypothesized that posttransplantation reperfusion injury would result in an increase in both in-hospital mortality and morbidity. We also hypothesized that the incidence of reperfusion injury would be dependent upon the cause of recipient lung disease and the interval of donor allograft ischemia., Methods: We performed a retrospective study of all lung transplant recipients at our institution from June 1990 until June 1998. One hundred patients received 120 organs during this time period. We compared two groups of patients in this study: those experiencing a significant reperfusion injury (22%) and those who did not (78%)., Results: In-hospital mortality was significantly greater in patients experiencing reperfusion injury (40.9% versus 11.7%, p < 0.02). Posttransplantation reperfusion injury also resulted in prolonged ventilation (393.5 versus 56.8 hours, p < 0.001) and an increased length of stay in both the intensive care unit (22.2 versus 10.5 days, p < 0.01) and in the hospital (48.8 versus 25.6 days, p < 0.03). The incidence of reperfusion injury could not be attributed to length of donor organ ischemia (221.5 versus 252.9 minutes, p < 0.20). The clinical impact of reperfusion injury was significantly greater in patients undergoing transplantation for preexisting pulmonary hypertension (6/14) than those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or emphysema alone (6/54) (42.9% versus 11.1%, p < 0.012)., Conclusions: Clinically significant pulmonary reperfusion injury increased in-hospital mortality and morbidity resulting in prolonged ventilation, length of stay in the intensive care unit, and cost of hospitalization. The incidence of reperfusion injury was not dependent upon the duration of donor organ ischemia but increased with the presence of preoperative pulmonary hypertension. These findings suggest that recipient pathophysiology and donor allograft quality may play important roles in determining the incidence of reperfusion injury.

The spray application of cryo-based fibrin sealant was evaluated for reducing hemorrhage in a complex, anticoagulated canine model of knee joint arthroplasty. Nine heparinized dogs underwent bilateral knee arthroplasty under tourniquet control with each animal having 3 mL of fibrin sealant sprayed onto one joint and the other joint serving as control. The fibrin sealant significantly reduced total and incremental bleeding as compared to the control side (P < .05). In addition, the hemostatic effectiveness of the fibrin sealant increased as bleeding propensity increased (P < .05). This study suggests that fibrin sealant may reduce bleeding from orthopedic joint replacement in human patients undergoing routine operations as well as those receiving forms of anticoagulation to reduce the incidence of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolus.

Purpose: Needle biopsy of the liver is a common diagnostic procedure. Although relatively safe, bleeding remains a potential complication and may occur more frequently in patients with coagulopathy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of a fibrin sealant in preventing bleeding after a 15-gauge needle biopsy of the liver in a canine model heparinized to simulate coagulopathy., Materials and Methods: Fibrin sealant was delivered to biopsy tract sites in eight dogs anticoagulated with heparin (activated clotting time 387 seconds +/- 94) using the same sheath system that was employed to obtain the biopsy specimen., Results: The results demonstrated complete hemostasis in the sealant-plugged tracts as compared to controls. Continuous bleeding was observed in none of the fibrin sealant-treated sites, compared with all of the control biopsy sites (P = .0078)., Conclusion: These results demonstrate the high degree of efficacy of fibrin sealant delivered through a sheath system in plugging liver biopsy tracts and eliminating bleeding in a severely coagulopathic animal model. This indicates that fibrin sealant use in cutting needle biopsies can reduce major and minor complications associated with the procedure.

Background: We hypothesized that the persistence of albumin microbubbles within the myocardium during crystalloid cardioplegia (CP) infusion and ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) occurs because of endothelial injury., Methods and Results: The myocardial transit rate of albumin microbubbles was measured in 18 dogs perfused with different CP solutions and in 12 dogs undergoing I-R. Electron microscopy with cationized ferritin labeling of the glycocalyx was performed in 9 additional dogs after CP perfusion and in 3 additional dogs undergoing I-R. Microbubble transit was markedly prolonged during crystalloid CP perfusion. The addition of whole blood to the CP solution accelerated the transit rate in a dose-dependent fashion (P<0.05), which was greater with venous than with arterial blood (P<0.05). The addition of plasma or red blood cells to CP solutions was less effective in improving transit rate than addition of whole blood (P<0.05). Microbubble transit rate was independent of the temperature, K+ content, pH, PO2, osmolality, viscosity, and flow rate of the perfusate. Similarly, a proportion of microbubbles persisted in the myocardium after I-R, which was related to the duration of ischemia (P<0.01) but not of reflow. Crystalloid CP perfusion and I-R resulted in extensive loss of the endothelial glycocalyx without other ultrastructural changes. This effect was partially reversed in the case of crystalloid CP when it was followed by blood CP., Conclusions: Sonicated albumin microbubbles persist within the myocardium in situations in which the endothelial glycocalyx is damaged. The measurement of the myocardial transit rate of albumin microbubbles may provide an in vivo assessment of endothelial glycocalyx damage.

The ability to evaluate myocardial perfusion and microvascular structural integrity can help surgeons predict the necessity for surgical intervention, the sequence of intraoperative interventions, the risk of perioperative infarction, the likelihood of successful surgical recovery, and the degree of long-term clinical benefit. The ability to directly assess perfusion intraoperatively may allow surgeons to reliably evaluate a patient's myocardial perfusion at any time during the operative procedure. As this article will discuss, surgeons may use myocardial contrast echocardiography intraoperatively to evaluate myocardial function and integrity, to determine the order of graft placement, to determine the success of bypass graft patency, and to help predict those patients who will experience successful cardiac function after recovering from surgery.

Topically applied bioadhesives and hemostatic agents have gained wide acceptance in various surgical endeavors. However, the effect of thrombin-based fibrin sealant (fibrin glue) when applied to microvascular anastomoses has not been evaluated thoroughly. Although fibrin sealant has been used directly on vascular anastomoses in macrovascular surgery, there has been little exploration into the utility and potential complications when used in the microsurgical setting. This study explored the influence of fibrin sealant containing increasing concentrations of bovine thrombin on microvascular anastomoses in a rat epigastric free flap model. The survival of the free flap in this model appeared to be inversely proportional to the concentration of thrombin in the fibrin sealant. When thrombin alone was applied to the anastomoses, the rate of thrombosis was the highest. Venous anastomosis was the most sensitive to the deleterious effects of topically applied thrombin.

The University of Virginia Health System inpatient satisfaction survey identified noise as the most important irritant to surgical inpatients. Analysis of the level and pattern of noise on patient floors and intensive care units was done with baseline measurements followed by then two separate interventions: 1) education of nursing and physician staff 2) closing patient room doors. A decibel meter (M-27 Dosimeter) recorded the noise level over 24 hours. Patients doors were open in the initial measurements. Next, three 1-hour education sessions were conducted by a surgeon and nursing supervisor to review noise-reduction strategies with the staff. These included using pagers in vibrate mode, minimizing overhead announcements, and conducting nurse reports and physician teaching sessions in classrooms away from the nurses' station. Finally, the doors were closed except as visitors and staff entered the room. Little impact was seen from staff education. Closing patient doors on surgical floors decreased noise an average of 6.0 dB, a change that patients can readily perceive. Conversely, intensive care unit patients are exposed to more noise with closed doors, presumably because most noise emanates from equipment within the room. A policy of closing patient floor room doors may increase patient satisfaction.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of a period of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) during elective replacement of the ascending thoracic aorta., Summary Background Data: DHCA has been implemented in ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm resection whenever the anatomy or pathology of the aorta or arch vessels prevents safe or adequate cross-clamping. Profound hypothermia and retrograde cerebral perfusion have been shown to be neurologically protective during ascending aortic replacement under circulatory arrest., Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of 91 consecutive patients who underwent repair of chronic ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms from 1986 to present. The authors hypothesized that patients undergoing DHCA with or without retrograde cerebral perfusion during aneurysm repair were at no greater operative risk than patients who received aneurysm resection while on standard cardiopulmonary bypass., Results: There were no significant differences in hospital mortality, stroke rate, or operative morbidity between patients repaired on DHCA when compared to those repaired on cardiopulmonary bypass., Conclusions: DHCA with or without retrograde cerebral perfusion does not result in increased morbidity or mortality during the resection of ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms. In fact, this technique may prevent damage to the arch vessels in select cases and avoid the possible complications associated with cross-clamping a friable or atherosclerotic aorta.

FTA is a promising adjunct treatment in many fields of surgery, mainly in patients with acquired and congenital bleeding disorders or in procedures with high risk of postoperative bleeding or leaking of air, blood, fluids. Numerous report exist for variety of indications, however, very few are well controlled and conclusive. There is controversy and contradicting data that stem from variability in FTA formulation the selection and design of the operative indication the methodology of application including the application devices and the skills of the surgeon. Understanding of all these differences and the requirements for the certain indication are important for the successful use of FTA. It is important to remember that FTA is a blood product and even with more than one viral inactivation techniques there should have a clear indication for its use. If no clinically important benefit is proven for a certain indication it means that contraindication exists.

Objective: The authors performed a retrospective cost analysis for patients undergoing revascularization of their left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery either by standard coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), or minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICABG)., Summary Background Data: Minimally invasive CABG has become a safe and effective alternative treatment for single-vessel coronary artery disease. However, the acceptance of this procedure as a routine alternative for the treatment of coronary artery disease will depend on both long-term graft patency rates as well as a competitive market cost., Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of three patient groups undergoing LAD coronary revascularization from January 1995 to July 1996. Ten patients were selected randomly from this period after PTCA of an LAD lesion with or without stenting. Nine patients underwent standard CABG on cardiopulmonary bypass with a left internal mammary artery. Nine patients received MICABG via a limited left anterior thoracotomy and left internal mammary artery to LAD grafting without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass., Results: Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (n = 10) was unsuccessful in two patients. One patient in the MICABG group (n = 9) was converted successfully to conventional CABG because of an intramyocardial LAD and dilated left ventricle. There was no operative morbidity or mortality in any group. Average length of stay postprocedure was decreased significantly for both the MICABG and PTCA groups when compared with that of conventional CABG (n = 9) (2.7 + 0.26, p = 0.009, and 2.6 + 0.54, p = 0.006, vs. 4.8 + 0.46, respectively). Total hospital costs for the MICABG and PTCA groups were significantly less when compared with those of standard CABG ($10,129 + 1104, p = 0.0028, and $9113 + 3,039, p = 0.0001, vs. $17,816 + 1043, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences between the MICABG and PTCA groups., Conclusions: The final role of minimally invasive CABG is unclear. This procedure is clearly cost effective when compared with that of PTCA and conventional CABG. The long-term patency rates for MICABG will determine its overall efficacy.

Sutures and fibrin sealant are important surgical aids for facilitating wound closure and creating an optimal setting for wound healing. Most commonly, sutures are used to close wounds because suture material provides the mechanical support necessary to sustain closure. A wide variety of suturing material is available, and the surgeon can choose among sutures with a range of attributes to find the one best suited to his or her needs. Considerations when choosing an appropriate suture for wound closure and healing include strength of suture, holding power of tissue, absorbability, risk of infection, and inflammatory reaction associated with the suture material. Other factors to be considered include type of incision, suturing technique, and appearance of wound site. Fibrin sealant, in contrast, is a biologic tissue adhesive that can function as a useful adjunct to sutures. Fibrin sealant can be used in conjunction with sutures or tape to promote optimal wound integrity, or it can be used independently to seal wound sites where sutures cannot control bleeding or would aggravate bleeding. This adhesive can effectively seal tissue planes and eliminate potential spaces. Fibrin sealant has been used clinically in many surgical applications, although an FDA-approved commercially available product does not yet exist in the United States. Clinically, fibrin sealant has resulted in a low rate of infection and has promoted healing. Further study is needed to determine the best fibrin sealant mixtures both to achieve hemostasis and to encourage healing. It may even be desirable to use different sealant formulations for particular clinical situations.

Both administration of cardioplegic solution and blood reperfusion result in endothelial dysfunction. The transit rate of albumin microbubbles during myocardial contrast echocardiography may reflect endothelial injury. Accordingly, we performed myocardial contrast echocardiography in 12 dogs undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass and measured the myocardial transit rate of microbubbles injected into the aortic root during delivery of cardioplegic solutions containing arterial and venous blood and delivery of pure crystalloid cardioplegic solution. The myocardial transit rate of 99mTc-labeled red blood cells was measured and perfusates were sampled for biochemical analysis at each stage. The microbubble transit rate was markedly prolonged during delivery of crystalloid cardioplegic solution and improved significantly during infusion of blood cardioplegic solution (p < 0.001); venous compared with arterial blood in the solution resulted in a greater rate (p < 0.001). The microbubble transit rate did not correlate with pH, oxygen tension or carbon dioxide tension values, or K+ concentration. The red blood cell transit rate remained constant regardless of the cardioplegic perfusate infused. Myocardial contrast echocardiography was also performed in 12 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass who underwent sequential arterial and venous reperfusion after cardioplegic arrest. The microbubble transit rate was faster with venous than arterial blood reperfusion (p = 0.01), although this gain was diminished when arterial blood reperfusion preceded venous blood reperfusion (p = 0.05). Our results indicate that endothelial dysfunction after cardioplegic arrest may be ameliorated by reperfusion with venous rather than arterial blood.

As the number of cardiac catheterization procedures increases, so do associated complications and costs. This study suggests that the application of a new collagen enhanced fibrin sealant, Collaseal, may be used effectively to achieve rapid hemostasis at the arterial puncture site following femoral artery catheterization. Results in nine dogs anticoagulated with heparin (activated clotting time 396 +/- 107, mean +/- S.D.) revealed a statistically significant reduction in signs of gross bleeding in the sealant-treated groins as compared to control (2 versus 9, P = .0156). These results indicate that this commercially produced sealant might be used in human patients undergoing cardiac catheterization to decrease complications, lengths of stay, and costs.