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Journal of Long-Term Effects of Medical Implants

ISSN for PRINT: 1050-6934

Institutional price:	$1021.00
Issues per year:	6

Best Paper Award Selection - Editorial Board Site

2005, Volume15

110 pages

DOI: 10.1615/JLongTermEffMedImplants.v15.i4

Issue price - $175.00

Long-Term Evaluation of Laser-Treated Silicone (LTS) Membrane as a Pericardial Substitute: In Vivo Study

Saeid Amanpour, DVM
Experimental Medicine Laboratory, Cancer Institute, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

Hosein Ahamadi, MD
Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

Hamid Mirzadeh, PhD
Department of Polymer Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology; and Department of Polymeric Biomaterials, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, Tehran, Iran

Mohammad Ali Mohagheghi, MD
Experimental Medicine Laboratory, Cancer Institute, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

Shahram Rabbani, DVM
Experimental Medicine Laboratory, Cancer Institute, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

ABSTRACT

Objective. The purpose of this study was prevention of adhesion formation in reoperative cardiac surgery using laser-treated silicone (LTS) membrane as a new pericardial substitute in the sheep model. Methods. Thirty ewes (35−45 kg) were used and categorized into two groups including test and control groups. In test group (n = 18), the pericardium was excised, and the LTS membrane was implanted as a pericardial substitute. In the control group (n = 12), the pericardium was excised without LTS membrane implantation. During follow-up ranging from 3 to 28 months, animals were observed for any clinical sign of postoperative problems. Thirty reoperations were performed in both test and control groups to evaluate adhesion formation. Results. In the control group, dense adhesions were observed, while in the study group adhesion formation was reduced at all sites covered by LTS membrane (p < 0.03), and no infection or other complications were observed. Conclusions. The LTS membrane is safe and efficacious in the reduction of pericardial adhesion formation and might be used in patients undergoing cardiac surgery who need reoperation.