Fibrin adhesive and its application in thoracic surgery

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Human fibrinogen cryoprecipitate is utilized as a biologic tissue adhesive in thoracic and cardiovascular procedures.
• It has been applied in surgeries for persistent or recurrent pneumothorax and prophylactically for lung resections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of fibrin adhesive in reducing drainage periods for pneumothorax and after lung resections.
• To assess the benefits of fibrin adhesive in reinforcing sutures and sealing parenchymal defects.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patients undergoing thoracic procedures with and without fibrin adhesive application.
• Comparison of average drainage periods between groups with comparable lesions and defect sizes.

Main Results:

• Twenty-one patients with recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax showed a reduced average drainage period compared to 15 non-glued cases.
• Twenty cases with fibrin adhesive applied to pleural defects post-lung resection had significantly less suction drainage time than 11 non-glued controls.
• These 20 cases required the same average drainage time as 140 prior lung resections without fibrin glue, despite larger lesions.

Conclusions:

• Fibrin adhesive effectively reduces postoperative drainage time in thoracic surgery for pneumothorax and lung resections.
• The use of fibrin adhesive provides reinforcement and sealing of defects, leading to improved patient recovery.
• Fibrin glue is a valuable adjunct in managing complex pleural and parenchymal defects in lung surgery.