An in vivo comparison of the efficacy of hemostatic powders, using two porcine bleeding models

Usage of topical hemostatic agents in surgery is increasing, including use during minimally invasive procedures, and even for surgeries that have a low risk of bleeding complications. A novel product, Surgicel Powder - Absorbable Hemostatic Powder (SP), made from oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC) fabric, has been developed for adjunctive use in surgical procedures to assist in control of oozing bleeding over broad areas and where access could be difficult with a fabric ORC product. This study compares the new SP to other commercially available hemostatic powder products in two in vivo models. Hemostatic efficacy of SP was compared to two polysaccharide-based hemostats in a porcine liver punch biopsy model and to three polysaccharide-based hemostats and one non-regenerated oxidized cellulose hemostat in a porcine liver abrasion model. Primary outcomes measured were hemostatic efficacy, defined as hemostasis within 10 minutes of application, and time-to-hemostasis (TTH). In the punch biopsy model, SP displayed significantly higher effective hemostasis rates than one of the polysaccharide hemostats ( =0.047) and faster TTH than both (