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Surgical glue
Submitted by kenben on Tue, 2009-11-10 14:17.
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Pilot study goes worldwide
Dr. Paul Fedak has started training surgeons in other Canadian and European hospitals.An innovative procedure pioneered at the University of Calgary is being used to repair the breastbone after it is intentionally broken to provide access to the heart during open-heart surgery. The technique uses a state-of-the-art adhesive that rapidly bonds to bone and accelerates the recovery process.“We can now heal the breastbone in hours instead of weeks after open-heart surgery,” explains Dr. Paul Fedak, a cardiac surgeon at Foothills Medical Centre and scientist at the Faculty of Medicine. “Patients can make a full recovery after surgery and get back to full physical activities in days instead of months.” More than 20 patients have received the new technique in Calgary as part of a pilot study. Fedak and Kathryn King, a cardiovascular nurse scientist at the U of C, are the co-principal investigators on the study. “We know that recovery from sternotomy is a multi-faceted process that includes not only healing of the breastbone but the ability to return to normal activities,” says King. “Being able to resume normal activities is a hallmark of a good recovery; this surgical innovation should enable that.” The patients report substantially less pain and discomfort after surgery and the use of strong pain medication, such as narcotics, is profoundly reduced if not completely eliminated with use of the procedure. The ability to deep breathe, known to play a key role in recovery, is also substantially improved. Richard Cuming’s chest was repaired in June with KryptoniteTM adhesive, a biocompatible polymer manufactured by the Connecticut-based Doctors Research Group Inc. Two years earlier he had open-heart surgery repaired the traditional way—sewing his breastbone back together with wire. Cuming reported that the second procedure was far superior. “I had a little bit of pain, but this was a walk in the park compared to my earlier recovery. I can do anything I could do prior to the original surgery. I feel wonderful.” The encouraging results of this pilot study have prompted the Calgary researchers to establish a worldwide study to further investigate its benefits. The STICK Trial (STernal Innovative Closure with KryptoniteTM) aims to apply the technique in more than 500 patients across the globe over the next 12 to 24 months. The investigators believe that this improved method of chest closure will become a new standard of care for patients undergoing open-heart surgery. Fedak has started training surgeons in other Canadian and European hospitals where it is rapidly gaining popularity.
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November 12, 2009