Comparative Analysis of Surgical Hemostatic Sponges in Liver Injury: Study in Rats

BACKGROUND Obtaining effective hemostasis either in the traumatic or surgical lesions of parenchymal viscera, especially the liver, has always been a challenge. AIM Comparative study between the use of different hemostatic sponges in hepatic wound and their capacity of integration to cells in a short period. METHODS Fifteen Wistar rats were divided into three groups. Through laparotomy a standardized wound in hepatic right lobe was made. The animals were treated with three sponges, being gelatin in group I, equine collagen in group II, and oxidized cellulose in group III. The hemostatic capacity was analysed. On the 7º day after surgery samples for histology analysis (H&E and picrosirius) were collected for inflammatory evaluation and collagen quantification (types I and III) with polarized microscopy. RESULTS All materials used had similar haemostatic effects, with no significant difference in hemostasis time. In the assessment of tissue repair and adhesions provoked, as well as analysis of the inflammatory process, the gelatin sponge presented greater inflammation and adhesions to the contiguous structures to the procedure in relation to the other groups. CONCLUSION Animals which had their wounds treated with collagen and regenerated cellulose sponges presented better results in relationship to the ones treated with gelatin sponge.