Synthetic absorbable film for prevention of air leaks after stapled pulmonary resection.
Staple-line reinforcement buttresses made of bovine pericardium (BP), expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), and so on have been shown to be effective in preventing air leaks after stapled lung volume reduction operations, and some of them have been clinically utilized. However, each buttress suffers at least one disadvantage such as risk of viral infection and chronic inflammation. A new buttress was made using a poly(L-lactic acid-co-epsilon-caprolactone) film (L/C film) and its effectiveness as a staple-line reinforcement was examined by performing lung volume reduction operation on a canine model. Soft tissue responses to the buttress were compared with those to the BP strip and the absorbable behavior was studied. The L/C film buttress was flexible and thin enough to easily cut. Death of dogs, infection, acute and prolonged air leaks, and any complications related to its use were not observed. The tissue responses to the film were more mild and favorable than those to BP. The L/C film was absorbed after the staple line was covered by a connective tissue. The results described above suggest that the buttress made of an L/C film is a promising staple-line reinforcement material.
Itoh
E
E
Second Department of Surgery, Kyoto University Medical School, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
Matsuda
S
S
Yamauchi
K
K
Oka
T
T
Iwata
H
H
Yamaoka
Y
Y
Ikada
Y
Y
D000042:Absorption; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008168:Lung / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000473:pathology; D013537:Sutures; D013997:Time Factors
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene