Mechanical properties of coagulated albumin and failure mechanisms of liver repaired with the use of an argon-beam coagulator with albumin.

Hemostasis in the traumatized liver has been achieved by thermally denaturing topically applied albumin. In this article, the mechanical properties of liver and denatured albumin (solder) were measured, and the failure methods of liver repaired with albumin were identified. The ultimate tensile strength and Young's modulus were measured for healthy liver (N = 20) and thermally damaged liver (N = 20). The ultimate tensile strength and Young's modulus were measured for three concentrations of coagulated albumin (25, 38, and 53%) in a single layer and for two layers of denatured 38% albumin. Failure under tension of argon-beam coagulator soldered liver on the parenchymal surface (N = 30) with 38% albumin in two layers had a 70% occurrence for tearing at a mean stress of 39 kPa and a 23% occurrence for shearing at a mean stress of 7 kPa. Liver repaired on the interior surface (N = 11) failed in tension by tearing (64%) at a mean stress of 34 kPa and by shearing (36%) at a mean stress of 6 kPa. Argon-beam coagulator soldering with 38% albumin took 6 s/cm(2) for two layers of solder and gave the best balance of usability, strength, and matching of mechanical properties with those of the liver. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.