Endogenous adipose tissue as a hemostatic: use in microsurgery

Bleeding is a frequent complication of microsurgical repair of small blood vessels and time is spent while hemostasis is accomplished. We studied the hemostatic effect of endogenous adipose tissue on bleeding from rat femoral arterial anastomoses. We measured bleeding time (time from removal of clamps to cessation of active bleeding) and mean arterial blood velocity (using a micro-Doppler system), the latter immediately after anastomosis, and again 7 days post-anastomosis. Bleeding time for vessels with fat applied to the artery was 50% less than when no fat was applied. Blood velocity by day 7 post-anastomosis returned to values equivalent to those for intact arteries. Histological evaluation of the anastomotic site demonstrated no significant differences in inflammatory response between fat-treated and untreated arteries. These data suggest that endogenous adipose tissue may be a useful hemostatic agent devoid of significant effects on small artery blood velocity or histology.