Biodegradable polymer film reinforcement of an indocyanine green-doped liquid albumin solder for laser-assisted incision closure

Background and Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whethe r solid material reinforcement of a liquid albumin solder coagulum could im prove the cohesive strength of the solder and, thus, the ultimate breaking strength of the incision repair in vitro. Study Design/Materials and Methods: A 50%(w/v) bovine serum albumin solder with 0.5 or 2.5 mg/ml indocyanine green (ICG) dye was used to repair an inc ision in bovine aorta. The solder was coagulated with an 806-nm continuous wave diode laser. A 50-mu m-thick poly(DL-lactic-coglycolic acid) film was used to reinforce the solder (the controls had solder but no reinforcement) . Acute breaking strengths were measured, and the data were analyzed by Stu dent's t-test. Results: Observations of the failure modes indicate cohesive strength reinf orcement of the test specimens vs. the controls. The 2.5 mg/ml ICG reinforc ed solder was stronger than the controls without reinforcement (P < 0.05) f or all laser powers tested. There was no difference between the test specim ens and the controls with 0.5 mg/ml ICG; solder for low laser powers, but a t higher laser powers, the reinforced solder was stronger than the controls (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Reinforcement of liquid albumin solders in laser-assisted incis ion repair seems to have advantages in terms of acute breaking strength ove r conventional methods that do not reinforce the cohesive strength of the s older. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.