Development and Evaluation of Thrombin-Loaded Gelatin Hemostatic Sheets for Spinal Surgery Applications

Introduction: During spinal surgery, management of intraoperative bleeding and effective hemostasis are required to clearly visualize the surgical field and to safely perform procedures and positive postoperative outcomes. However, it is challenging to stop bleeding from the venous plexus around the...

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Main Authors: Atsuyuki Kawabata, Satoru Egawa, Makoto Ogino, Toshitaka Yoshii
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research 2025-03-01
Series:Spine Surgery and Related Research
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Online Access:https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ssrr/9/2/9_2024-0147/_pdf/-char/en
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author Atsuyuki Kawabata
Satoru Egawa
Makoto Ogino
Toshitaka Yoshii
author_facet Atsuyuki Kawabata
Satoru Egawa
Makoto Ogino
Toshitaka Yoshii
author_sort Atsuyuki Kawabata
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: During spinal surgery, management of intraoperative bleeding and effective hemostasis are required to clearly visualize the surgical field and to safely perform procedures and positive postoperative outcomes. However, it is challenging to stop bleeding from the venous plexus around the dural sac due to the potential risk of neural tissue damage. We aimed to develop hemostatic sheets with appropriate characteristics for spinal surgery, such as softness, appropriate thickness, biodegradability, thrombin bioactivity, and minimal water-induced expansion. Methods: Hemostatic sheets were made by dissolving bovine bone-derived gelatin in water and aerating it to form foam, followed by freeze-drying, crosslinking, and thrombin-soaking. Sheets A to H were produced with different gelatin concentrations, foam densities, and crosslinking times by additional heat treatment. The sheets were then soaked in thrombin solution for enhanced hemostasis. Material properties, such as density, tensile strength, biodegradability, and hemostatic capacity, were evaluated. Sheet efficacy was further assessed with liver bleeding and spinal venous plexus bleeding models in a miniature pig. Results: High-density gelatin sheets showed stable shape retention in wet conditions and robust tensile strength. Sheets with higher density and more crosslinking had prolonged persistence in the pepsin test and lower biodegradability in vivo. Sheet B, produced from a 4% gelatin solution with heating at 155°C for 4 h, showed the best balance of properties, such as no deformation cracks, rapid water absorption, minimal expansion, and faster degradation within 10 weeks, compared with TachoSil and other sheets. In hemostasis models, Sheet B outperformed Avitene and TachoSil, achieving higher success rates in spinal (four out of six sites) and liver bleeding (five out of five sites) models. Conclusions: A thrombin-loaded hemostatic sheet produced from 4% gelatin solution with a short heating time for crosslinking demonstrated well-balanced material properties, such as shape retention, biodegradability, and wet expansion rate, which resulted in effective hemostasis in in vivo models. These advances may contribute to surgical hemostatic applications.
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issn 2432-261X
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publisher The Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research
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spelling doaj-art-e2706361ca06455fa2d26cf94474478d2025-08-20T03:05:14ZengThe Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related ResearchSpine Surgery and Related Research2432-261X2025-03-019221822510.22603/ssrr.2024-01472024-0147Development and Evaluation of Thrombin-Loaded Gelatin Hemostatic Sheets for Spinal Surgery ApplicationsAtsuyuki Kawabata0Satoru Egawa1Makoto Ogino2Toshitaka Yoshii3Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental UniversityDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental UniversityAstellas Pharma Inc. Drug Discovery ResearchDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental UniversityIntroduction: During spinal surgery, management of intraoperative bleeding and effective hemostasis are required to clearly visualize the surgical field and to safely perform procedures and positive postoperative outcomes. However, it is challenging to stop bleeding from the venous plexus around the dural sac due to the potential risk of neural tissue damage. We aimed to develop hemostatic sheets with appropriate characteristics for spinal surgery, such as softness, appropriate thickness, biodegradability, thrombin bioactivity, and minimal water-induced expansion. Methods: Hemostatic sheets were made by dissolving bovine bone-derived gelatin in water and aerating it to form foam, followed by freeze-drying, crosslinking, and thrombin-soaking. Sheets A to H were produced with different gelatin concentrations, foam densities, and crosslinking times by additional heat treatment. The sheets were then soaked in thrombin solution for enhanced hemostasis. Material properties, such as density, tensile strength, biodegradability, and hemostatic capacity, were evaluated. Sheet efficacy was further assessed with liver bleeding and spinal venous plexus bleeding models in a miniature pig. Results: High-density gelatin sheets showed stable shape retention in wet conditions and robust tensile strength. Sheets with higher density and more crosslinking had prolonged persistence in the pepsin test and lower biodegradability in vivo. Sheet B, produced from a 4% gelatin solution with heating at 155°C for 4 h, showed the best balance of properties, such as no deformation cracks, rapid water absorption, minimal expansion, and faster degradation within 10 weeks, compared with TachoSil and other sheets. In hemostasis models, Sheet B outperformed Avitene and TachoSil, achieving higher success rates in spinal (four out of six sites) and liver bleeding (five out of five sites) models. Conclusions: A thrombin-loaded hemostatic sheet produced from 4% gelatin solution with a short heating time for crosslinking demonstrated well-balanced material properties, such as shape retention, biodegradability, and wet expansion rate, which resulted in effective hemostasis in in vivo models. These advances may contribute to surgical hemostatic applications.https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ssrr/9/2/9_2024-0147/_pdf/-char/enhemostasisgelatinthrombinbiodegradabilityspinal surgery
spellingShingle Atsuyuki Kawabata
Satoru Egawa
Makoto Ogino
Toshitaka Yoshii
Development and Evaluation of Thrombin-Loaded Gelatin Hemostatic Sheets for Spinal Surgery Applications
Spine Surgery and Related Research
hemostasis
gelatin
thrombin
biodegradability
spinal surgery
title Development and Evaluation of Thrombin-Loaded Gelatin Hemostatic Sheets for Spinal Surgery Applications
title_full Development and Evaluation of Thrombin-Loaded Gelatin Hemostatic Sheets for Spinal Surgery Applications
title_fullStr Development and Evaluation of Thrombin-Loaded Gelatin Hemostatic Sheets for Spinal Surgery Applications
title_full_unstemmed Development and Evaluation of Thrombin-Loaded Gelatin Hemostatic Sheets for Spinal Surgery Applications
title_short Development and Evaluation of Thrombin-Loaded Gelatin Hemostatic Sheets for Spinal Surgery Applications
title_sort development and evaluation of thrombin loaded gelatin hemostatic sheets for spinal surgery applications
topic hemostasis
gelatin
thrombin
biodegradability
spinal surgery
url https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ssrr/9/2/9_2024-0147/_pdf/-char/en
work_keys_str_mv AT atsuyukikawabata developmentandevaluationofthrombinloadedgelatinhemostaticsheetsforspinalsurgeryapplications
AT satoruegawa developmentandevaluationofthrombinloadedgelatinhemostaticsheetsforspinalsurgeryapplications
AT makotoogino developmentandevaluationofthrombinloadedgelatinhemostaticsheetsforspinalsurgeryapplications
AT toshitakayoshii developmentandevaluationofthrombinloadedgelatinhemostaticsheetsforspinalsurgeryapplications