Systematic review and meta-analysis of application of fibrin sealant after liver resection

Abstract

Background:

Fibrin sealant (FS) has been increasingly used on the raw surface after liver resection but its clinical value has not been established to date. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the employment of FS after liver resection.

Methods:

PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, CBM and VIP were searched for randomized trials comparing the effect of FS with no FS or any other intervention for patients undergoing liver resection. Primary outcomes included time to hemostasis, hemostatic success, amount of drainage and drainage duration.

Results:

Eleven randomized controlled trials were included. Meta-analysis suggested that the amount of drainage (standard mean difference −0.30; 95% confidence interval [CI] −0.82 to 0.23) and drainage duration (mean difference [MD] −0.46, 95% CI −0.61 to −1.53) were similar between FS group and no FS group. Compared with topical hemostatic agents, FS could significantly reduce time to hemostasis (MD −208.46, 95% CI −228.22 to −188.70) and increase hemostasis success rate (relative risk 1.35, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.57). Two trials compared FS with argon beam coagulation (ABC), which both suggested that FS could significantly decrease the time to hemostasis.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrated a modest benefit of FS over no FS, topical hemostatic agents and ABC in controlling intraoperative bleeding from the raw liver surface after liver resection. But there is no evidence that FS is beneficial to patients in reducing amount of drainage and drainage duration.

Key words::

• Fibrin sealant
• Liver resection
• Meta-analysis
• Systematic review

Transparency

Declaration of funding

This study was not funded.

Declaration of financial/other relationships

H.D., J.-Q.Y., J.-H.Z., X.-Y.Z., P.Y., C.M., and Q.C. have disclosed that they have no significant relationships with or financial interests in any commercial companies related to this study or article.

CMRO peer reviewers may have received honoraria for their review work. The peer reviewers on this manuscript have disclosed that they have no relevant financial relationships.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Ho Xinqin and Li Jianyang for providing the full articles of the included studies, and we also thank Sunil Subedi for his assistance in revising this paper.