FIBRIN SEALANT REDUCES SUTURE LINE BLEEDING DURING CAROTID ENDARTERECTOMY - A RANDOMIZED TRIAL

Objectives: To determine whether topical fibrin sealant reduced suture line bleeding during carotid endarterectomy with polytetrafluoroethyl ene (PTFE) patch closure. Design: Prospective randomised non-blinded c ontrol trial. Setting Regional vascular surgery unit. Materials: Seven teen patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy were ramdomised either to receive fibrin sealant as a topical haemostatic agent at the arter iotomy suture line or to act as control. Outcome measures: Time taken to achieve haemostasis at the suture line. Intraoperative blood loss. Total operative time. Results: The median time to achieve haemostasis was 5.5 min (range 4-31 min) in the treatment group and 19 min (range 10-47 min) in the control group. This difference was statistically sig nificant p < 0.005 by Mann-Whitney test. There was no statistical diff erence in total operative rime. Operative blood loss was lower in the treatment group (median 420ml, range 300-500ml) than in the control gr oup (median 550ml, range 350-1200ml) but this difference was not stati stically significant. One patient in the control group suffered a peri operative thrombo-embolic event. Conclusion: Fibrin sealant is an effe ctive topical haemost atic agent for arteriotomy suture lines involvin g PTFE material.