Quantitation and control of pulpal bleeding.

The purpose of this investigation was to use a quantitative technique to evaluate the hemostatic properties of gelfoam and thrombin. To accomplish this, blood was drawn from dogs, labeled in vitro with 5tCr and then reinjected back into the donor dogs. When pulp exposures were made, all blood shed from the site was collected in 30 second intervals to allow calculation of the rate of bleeding. The results indicate the method is convenient and quite sensitive. Repeated, direct contact of cotton balls or gelfoam to exposure sites prolonged bleeding compared to the indirect absorption of shed blood. Hemostasis was obtained more rapidly following packing of the exposure site with gelfoam when left in place, compared to untreated controls. Thrombin application with either cotton balls or gelfoam provided rapid, complete hemostasis even after removal of the packing.