The short-term efficacy of fibrin glue combined with absorptive sheet material in visceral pleural defect repair.

Tissue sealants can prevent the occurrence of pulmonary air leakage, although few studies have evaluated the seal-breaking pressure properties of the various methods. We developed a new method for repairing visceral pleural defects which combines fibrin glue with a sheet material. We used an animal model to compare its efficacy with that of three current techniques up to 24 h after application. Under thoracotomy, 5 x 20 mm visceral pleural defects with a depth of 3 mm were made in beagles. The defects in the normal lungs were repaired using 1 of 4 methods: Method A, fibrin-glue double layer (fibrinogen solution was dripped, followed by thrombin solution); Method B, pack method (fibrin glue combined with polyglycolic acid sheet); Method C, rubbing and spray (fibrinogen was rubbed, followed by spraying of both fibrinogen and thrombin solutions); Method D, fibrin-glue-coated collagen fleece. The defects were repaired also in an emphysematous lung model using Method A, B or C. In the normal lungs, Method B showed significantly higher pressure resistance compared with the other methods at 5 min, 1 and 3 h post-application. Pressure resistance increased with time for all methods. In the emphysematous lungs, Method B showed significantly higher seal-breaking pressure than Methods A and C. Compared with existing tissue sealant methods, the pack method reliably controlled pulmonary air leakage immediately after application.