Experiments with nonthrombogenic and thrombogenic collagen in laboratory and clinical use

The Negatively Charged Glutaraldehyde Tanned (NCGT) graft has now encompassed 12 years in experimental animals and five years clinical experience with 134 grafts in man. It demonstrates that vessel wall structure, interface-charge, electric potential and polarity at the blood intimal interface are critical in the prevention of intravascular thrombosis in both vascular tree and vascular prosthetic grafts. The hemostatic properties of a new solvating positively charged hemostatic collagen (superstat) were first evaluated in 30 dogs using a skin pouch preparation and incisions in spleen and liver. The results were striking. The effectiveness in man has been determined by more than 130 applications in various surgical procedures. In several, it was used in emergencies to produce hemostasis which could not be obtained by any other material available. Hemostasis is obtained rapidly with Superstat, an effective electron sink, even in heparinized patients. Finally, the material has demonstrated that it rapidly produces hemostasis while dissolving, does not develop abnormal adhesions, fibroplasia of foreign body reaction.