Wound healing effect of regenerated oxidized cellulose versus fibrin sealant patch: An in vivo study

Topical hemostatic agents are used when ligation, electrocauterization, or other conventional hemostatic methods are impractical. Because a hemostatic agent is a foreign body, it can cause foreign body reactions, inflammation, and infections that can interfere with the wound healing process. Therefore, we should select hemostatic agents after considering their effects on wound healing. Here, we compared the effects of hemostatic agents on wound healing in a rectus abdominis muscle defect in rats.

Twelve Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to creation of a 6 × 6 mm defect in the rectus abdominis muscle and divided into four groups: control group; group A, Tachosil fibrin sealant patch; group B, Surgicel Fibrillar oxidized regenerated cellulose; and group C, Surgicel Snow oxidized regenerated cellulose. For the histologic analysis, biopsies were performed on the 3rd, 7th, and 27th days.

The foreign body reaction was the weakest in group A and most significant in group C. The inflammatory cell infiltration was the weakest in group A and similar in groups B and C. Muscle regeneration differed among periods. The rats in group A were the most active initially, while those in group C showed prolonged activity.

Tachosil and Surgicel administration increased inflammation via foreign body reactions, but the overall wound healing process was not significantly affected. The increased inflammation in the Surgicel groups was due to a low pH. We recommend using Tachosil, because it results in less intense foreign body reactions than Surgicel and faster wound healing due to the fibrin action.