Fibrin sealant: past, present, and future: a brief review.
BACKGROUND
Fibrin sealant is a two-component topical hemostat, sealant, and tissue adhesive consisting of fibrinogen and thrombin that has been used in the United States as a blood bank- or laboratory-derived product since the 1980s and has been commercially available since 1998.


RESULTS
Initially, surgeons employed hospital-based materials because of the lack of availability of a commercially produced agent. At present, there are five U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved forms including products derived from pooled or autologous human plasma as well as bovine plasma. On-label indications include hemostasis, colonic sealing, and skin graft attachment. Recent clinical and experimental uses include tissue or mesh attachment, fistula closure, lymphatic sealing, adhesion prevention, drug delivery, and tissue engineering.


CONCLUSIONS
The modern literature on fibrin sealant now exceeds 3000 articles and continues to expand. This brief review presents the history of this material, its present clinical use, and its future applications.
Spotnitz
William D
WD
Department of Surgery, Surgical Therapeutic Advancement Center, University of Virginia Health System, P.O. Box 801370, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-1370, USA. wds3e@virginia.edu
D000818:Animals; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D014014:Tissue Adhesives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D006490:Hemostatics; D014014:Tissue Adhesives