New hemostatic technique with combined use of Hydrofit® and Surgicel®: an in vitro and in vivo study.

We developed an effective hemostatic technique using Hydrofit® and Surgicel® simultaneously. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the hemostatic efficacy of the Hydrofit® and Surgicel® combination technique through an in vitro experiment and to elucidate mid-term consequences of the combined components through an in vivo experiment. For the in vitro experiment, a closed circuit using a heparin-coated cardiopulmonary bypass circuit and a prosthetic graft was created. The amount of bleeding from the prosthetic graft was measured, and the following three hemostatic methods were applied: only gauze compression in control group, Hydrofit® application in Hydrofit group, Surgicel® spread Hydrofit® application in Hydrofit and Surgicel (HS) group, respectively. In the in vivo experiment, Hydrofit® and/or Surgicel® were implanted under skin on the back of rats (n = 10) at 4 points. In the control group, only an incision was made; in the Hydrofit, Surgicel, and HS groups, Hydrofit® and/or Surgicel® was implanted. One and three months later, each of the five rats were killed and in each section histopathologic examination was carried out. In the in vitro experiment, the amount of bleeding was 7.84 ± 1.08, 2.26 ± 1.02, and 0.87 ± 0.38 ml in the control, Hydrofit, and HS groups, respectively. The amount of bleeding in the HS group was more suppressed than in the Hydrofit group (p = 0.012). In the in vivo experiment, the maximal depth diameter of each remaining hemostatic sealant was measured. After 3 months, the diameter was 0, 2289.0 ± 768.2, 3850.3 ± 935.8 μm in Surgicel, Hydrofit and HS groups, respectively. The diameter was significantly increased in the HS group compared with the Surgicel and Hydrofit groups (p < 0.001, respectively,). In conclusion, the combination of Hydrofit® and Surgicel® was effective in achieving hemostasis. The remnants of Hydrofit® and Surgicel® were present for a long time in the tissues which could compress the surrounding tissue.