title: A new fibrin sealant from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom: applications in medicine.
abstract: Fibrin sealant, a widely available tissue adhesive, has been used since 1940 in a variety of clinical applications. Commercially available fibrin sealant products are synthesized from bovine thrombin and human fibrinogen, which may transmit infectious diseases, and recipients may also develop antibodies against bovine thrombin. Bearing these disadvantages in mind, a new fibrin sealant was developed in 1989 by a group of researchers from the Center for the Study of Venoms and Venomous Animals, in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The main purpose was to produce an adhesive fibrin without using human blood, to avoid transmitting infectious diseases. The components of this novel sealant were extracted from large animals and a serine proteinase extracted from Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom. The applicability of this sealant was tested in animals and humans with beneficial results. The new fibrin sealant can be a useful tool clinically due to its flexibility and diversity of applications. This sealant is a biological and biodegradable product that (1) does not produce adverse reactions, (1) contains no human blood, (3) has a good adhesive capacity, (4) gives no transmission of infectious diseases, and (5) may be used as an adjuvant in conventional suture procedures. The effectiveness of this new fibrin sealant is reviewed and its development and employment are described.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos de Venenos e Animais Peçonhentos, Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brasil.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: S R C S
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Barraviera
authors.forename: H O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Stolf
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Thomazini-Santos
authors.forename: M J S
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mendes-Giannini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toscano
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barraviera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017839:Crotalus; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D014014:Tissue Adhesives / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D003435:Crotalid Venoms; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D006490:Hemostatics; D014014:Tissue Adhesives