Controlling bleeding from superficial wounds by the use of topical alpha adrenoreceptor agonists spray. A randomized, masked, controlled study.
In an attempt to determine whether alpha adrenergic agonists sprayed directly over the wound are able to reduce a superficial bleeding, phenylephrine (0.25%), oxymetazoline (0.05 and 0.25%) and saline (0.9%) were tested in a rat model. The study was randomized, controlled and quantitative. A total of four incisions were made in each rat, and each solution was sprayed directly on the incision according to a specific protocol. The bleeding times were measured and summed up. Biases were minimized by the fact that each rat received all four solutions, including the control, in all possible combinations. The mean bleeding time after spraying phenylephrine (0.25%) was significantly shorter than the mean bleeding time after spraying saline (1.90 +/- 0.14 min versus 4.80 +/- 0.43 min, respectively, P < 0.001) and significantly shorter than the mean bleeding time after spraying oxymetazoline (0.05 or 0.25%: 4.46 +/- 0.54 and 5.50 +/- 0.58 min, respectively, P < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found between the mean bleeding time after spraying oxymetazoline (0.05 or 0.25%) compared with saline. We conclude that sprayed phenylephrine (0.25%) can be used for reducing superficial bleedings. This method is simple, cost-effective, does not cause further trauma to the tissue, and can be used to treat several bleedings simultaneously (especially abrasions and lacerations) with a single application, without the need for direct physical contact with the bleeding sites. The method is apparently safe, but further studies are needed to test the systemic effect of the sprayed solution.
Department of Ophthalmology, Soroka University Medical Centre, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheba, Israel. assaff@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
Assaf
A
Kratz
Abraham
A
Danon
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000336:Aerosols; D000818:Animals; D001760:Bleeding Time; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D022125:Lacerations / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D010109:Oxymetazoline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries*
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000336:Aerosols; D006490:Hemostatics; D010656:Phenylephrine; D010109:Oxymetazoline