EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF ALGINATES AS HEMOSTATICS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Local tissue reaction to various spun and woven preparations of alginic acid and its derivatives have been studied in a series of rat tests. Although some of the preparations evoked a minimal inflammatory response, several were apparently irritating and engendered a considerable fibrous tissue re-placement when finally absorbed. The most favorable preparations were slightly more irritating than oxidized cellulose. That they were also toxic even when introduced thus, in solid form, to be absorbed slowly, was suggested by the high mortality rate among these rats, although detailed study of the toxicology was not undertaken here. The immediate hemostatic effect of alginic acid preparations was contrasted with controls of oxidized gauze in the spleen and liver of dogs. There was a marked difference in this property, control of hemorrhage being often difficult to obtain with alginate when oxidized cellulose was immediately effective. Study of these organs at autopsy showed in general, more inflammatory and fibrous tissue response to the alginates than to oxidized cellulose. If anything, the absorption time of the former was longer, but this was not checked in detail. The toxic effects at presumably lower dose levels than those employed by Chenoweth in cats suggests the possibility that the dog is more susceptible to the toxic effects of the alginates than the cat. It was concluded that the advantage of sterilization by autoclave was outweighed by the less effective hemostatic action and by the toxic properties of the alginates, and that further experimental study was not warranted. It was not thought safe to propose these new preparations for trial in clinical surgery.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: