Effects of fibrin glue on nasal septal tissues.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the changes in adult rabbit nasal septal tissues after application of fibrin glue during septoplasty.


METHODS
Preclinical animal study.


METHODS
Nineteen adult albino Vienna rabbits were included in the study. Rabbits were randomly divided into study (n = 14) and control groups (n = 5). The study group was subsequently divided into two subgroups with seven rabbits in each group to investigate short- and long-term effects of fibrin glue. After raising the mucoperichondrial flap on one side of the septum, fibrin glue was used to fix the mucoperichondrial flap over the septal cartilage. Rabbits were killed 3 weeks and 6 weeks after septoplasty. Samples from the excised nasal septa underwent routine tissue procedure for histopathologic investigation.


RESULTS
Both short-term and long-term results were compared with the control group and with each other. There was a significant difference regarding mucosal inflammation and cartilaginous damage between groups. A significant difference was found between groups in terms of loss of cilia, loss of goblet cells, the presence and degree of fibrosis. Loss of cartilage was significantly different between groups. In comparing the thickness of the mucosa, thickness of the perichondrium, and thickness of cartilage, there were significant differences between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrate that fibrin glue causes distinctive inflammation, creates mucosal damage, increases mucosal thickness, decreases perichondrial thickness and cartilaginous thickness, and causes segmental cartilage loss in rabbits. Further comparative clinical investigations are required to assess the clinical efficacy of fibrin glue in nasal septal surgery in humans.
Erkan
Alper Nabi
AN
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. alpernabierkan@yahoo.com
Cakmak
Ozcan
O
Kocer
Nazim Emrah
NE
Yilmaz
Ismail
I
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D008297:Male; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011817:Rabbits; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013997:Time Factors; D014014:Tissue Adhesives / Q000009:adverse effects*
D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D014014:Tissue Adhesives