Effects of a Fibrin-Sealant Wound Dressing on the Healing of Full-Thickness Wounds of the Hard Palate: Preliminary Report

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of a fibrin sealant (Tisseel) on wound healing. The sealant tested is produced from human plasma. This study involved 12 adult beagle dogs, all of which underwent creation of full-thickness palatal wounds. Six animals received immediate application of a fibrin sealant as a wound dressing. Polaroid photographs were taken immediately after creation of the palatal wounds and at regular intervals during the healing period. Six measurements were obtained from these photographs. Longitudinal comparisons of the profile of the mean curves for the relative changes during the 38-day study period indicated that the six parameters investigated have similar curve profiles in both the fibrin-sealant treated wounds and the untreated control wounds. The overall direction of healing was not significantly different in the two groups. However, comparisons of the curve magnitudes indicated that there was a significantly greater reduction in wound size in the fibrin sealant treated group. Cross-sectional comparisons (analysis of variance General Linear Models procedure) indicated that in the first 2 weeks there was a relatively greater reduction in wound width in the fibrin sealant treated group of animals. No significant differences were present at the end of the experimental period. The findings of this study indicated that the fibrin sealant when used as a dressing on palatal wounds of adult beagle dogs resulted in greater wound contraction in the early stages of wound healing. Those involved in the different aspects of max— illofacial surgery and cleft palate rehabilitation realize that surgical management of the oral 144 structures could result in the denudation of palatal bone. The presence of denuded bone has been related to increase incidence of infection, wound contraction, and scar formation, each of which can cause inhibition ofthe normal growth of the adjacent structures. There are two important aspects of palatal wound healing: first, the need to enhance, facilitate , and stimulate the process by which the denuded bone is reinvested with mucoperioste-um, and second, the need to inhibit skeletal deformation to minimize the undesirable effects on maxillary size and shape. As a result, there