Akinobu Funatsu

Effective application of fibrin sealant using a spray device with a double-tube structure

Abstract We developed a new device for applying a fibrin sealant to increase the strength of surgical seals. In the present study, the sealing effectiveness of fibrin sealant, using this newly developed spraying technique, was compared with conventional sequential or simultaneous applications of sealant. Sealing effectiveness of the three methods was evaluated by applying sealant to pinholes in plastic caps and measuring the amount of pressure necessary to rupture the seals at various intervals following application. When the spray application method was used, the pressure needed to burst the seal was higher than with either the sequential or simultaneous method. It was also determined that only 30–70% of the sealant was utilized when it was applied to a slanted surface using the two conventional methods while almost all of the sealant was utilized with the new spray technique. The results of this study indicate that the new spray device will provide the most effective means to apply fibrin as a surgical sealant.