Safety and Efficacy of TachoSil (Absorbable Fibrin Sealant Patch) Compared With Current Practice for the Prevention of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks in Patients Undergoing Skull Base Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage associated with incomplete sealing of the dura mater is a major complication of intradural procedures. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of adjunctive TachoSil (Takeda Pharma A/S, Roskilde, Denmark) with current practice for the prevention of postoperative CSF leaks in patients undergoing elective skull base surgery involving dura mater closure. METHODS: Patients were intraoperatively randomized to TachoSil or current practice immediately before primary dura closure by suturing ± duraplasty. Choice of adjunctive treatment in the current practice group was at the surgeon's discretion. Primary efficacy endpoint was occurrence of clinically evident verified postoperative CSF leak or clinically evident pseudomeningocele within 7 weeks after surgery or treatment failure (third application of trial treatment or use of other treatment). RESULTS: A total of 726 patients were randomized to TachoSil (n = 361) or current practice (n = 365). More current practice patients had sutures plus duraplasty for primary dura closure compared with TachoSil (49.6% vs 35.7%) and fewer had sutures only (45.5% vs 63.2%). The primary endpoint of estimated leak rate favored TachoSil with events in 25 (6.9%) patients vs 30 (8.2%) current practice patients; however, this was not statistically significant (odds ratio: 0.82; 95% confidence interval: 0.47, 1.43; P = .485). Both treatments were well tolerated with similar frequency of adverse events. CONCLUSION: Very low rates of postoperative CSF leaks can be achieved in patients undergoing skull base surgery of various indications. Although the study did not meet its primary endpoint, TachoSil appears to be safe and effective for the prevention of CSF leaks and associated complications.

Fibrin Sealant Patch (TachoSil) vs Oxidized Regenerated Cellulose Patch (Surgicel Original) for the Secondary Treatment of Local Bleeding in Patients Undergoing Hepatic Resection: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Local hemostatic agents are important for the control of bleeding during liver resection when standard surgical techniques are insufficient. STUDY DESIGN: This was a multicenter, randomized, open-label study to compare fibrin sealant patch (FSP; TachoSil; Takeda Pharma A/S) with oxidized regenerated cellulose gauze (ORCG; Surgicel Original; Ethicon) for the secondary treatment of local bleeding after hepatic resection in adult and pediatric patients. Primary end point was the proportion of adult patients with intraoperative hemostasis at the target bleeding site within 3 minutes of application of treatment. RESULTS: Of 321 adult patients screened, 224 patients had minor to moderate bleeding from the hepatic resection area after primary hemostatic treatment and were intraoperatively randomized to FSP (n = 114) or ORCG (n = 110). Hemostasis within 3 minutes was achieved in 92 patients in the FSP group (80.7%) and 55 patients in the ORCG group (50.0%) (odds ratio = 4.87; 95% CI, 2.55-9.29; p < 0.001). The proportion of patients with hemostasis at 5 minutes was also higher in the FSP group (94.7% vs 76.4%; odds ratio = 6.24; 95% CI, 2.39-16.30; p < 0.001), and time to hemostasis was shorter (p < 0.001). At 10 minutes, hemostasis was achieved in all patients in the FSP group and 12 patients in the ORCG group (10.9%) had visible bleeding and required hemostatic rescue therapy. In pediatric patients, hemostasis at 3 minutes was achieved in 17 of 20 (85.0%) patients with FSP and 4 of 9 (44.4%) patients with ORCG. Both treatments were well tolerated in adults and children. CONCLUSIONS: The FSP (TachoSil) was safe and superior to ORCG (Surgicel Original) for achieving hemostasis in patients undergoing hepatic resection. ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT01192022.

Hemostatic efficacy of TachoSil in liver resection compared with argon beam coagulator treatment: an open, randomized, prospective, multicenter, parallel-group trial.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this trial was to confirm previous results demonstrating the efficacy and safety of a fixed combination tissue sealant versus argon beam coagulation (ABC) treatment in liver resection. METHODS: This trial was designed as an international, multicenter, randomized, controlled surgical trial with 2 parallel groups. Patients were eligible for intra-operative randomization after elective resection of ≥ 1 liver segment and primary hemostasis. The primary end point was the time to hemostasis after starting the randomized intervention to obtain secondary hemostasis. Secondary end points were drainage duration, volume, and content. Adverse events were collected to evaluate the safety of treatments. The trial was registered internationally (Eudract number 2008-006407-23). RESULTS: Among 119 patients (60 TachoSil and 59 ABC) randomized in 10 tertiary care centers in Europe, the mean time to hemostasis was less when TachoSil was used (3.6 minutes) compared with ABC (5.0 minutes; P = .0018). The estimated ratio of mean time to hemostasis for TachoSil/ABC was 0.61 (95% confidence interval, 0.47-0.80; P = .0003). Postoperative drainage volume, drainage fluid, and drainage duration did not differ between the 2 groups. Mortality (2 vs 4 patients) and adverse reactions (24 vs 28 patients) for TachoSil versus ABC did not differ. CONCLUSION: This trial confirmed that TachoSil achieved significantly faster hemostasis after liver resection compared with ABC. Postoperative morbidity and mortality remained unchanged between both groups.

Efficacy and safety of TachoSil® versus standard treatment of air leakage after pulmonary lobectomy.

OBJECTIVES: Alveolar air leakage remains a serious problem in lung surgery, being associated with increased postoperative morbidity, prolonged hospital stay and greater health-care costs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sealing efficacy and safety of the surgical patch, TachoSil®, in lung surgery. METHODS: Patients undergoing elective pulmonary lobectomy who had grade 1 or 2 air leakage (evaluated by the water submersion test) after primary stapling and limited suturing were randomised at 12 European centres to open-label treatment with TachoSil® or standard surgical treatment (resuturing, stapling or no further treatment at the surgeons' discretion). Randomisation was performed during surgery using a centralised interactive voice response system. Duration of postoperative air leakage (primary end point), reduction of intra-operative air leakage intensity (secondary end point) and adverse events (AEs), including postoperative complications, were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 486 patients were screened and 299 received trial treatment (intent-to-treat (ITT) population: TachoSil®, n=148; standard treatment, n=151). TachoSil® resulted in a reduction in the duration of postoperative air leakage (p=0.030). Patients in the TachoSil® group also experienced a greater reduction in intra-operative air leakage intensity (p=0.042). Median time until chest drain removal was 4 days with TachoSil® and 5 days in the standard group (p=0.054). There was no difference between groups in hospital length of stay. AEs were generally similar in both groups, including postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: TachoSil® was superior to standard surgical treatment in reducing both postoperative air leakage duration and intra-operative air leakage intensity in patients undergoing elective pulmonary lobectomy.

Efficacy and safety of TachoSil as haemostatic treatment versus standard suturing in kidney tumour resection: a randomised prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Elective nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has gained general acceptance as an alternative to radical nephrectomy. To achieve haemostasis without risk of local ischaemia and necrosis of kidney parenchyma after standard haemostatic suturing, we investigated TachoSil's efficacy and safety as atraumatic haemostatic treatment after kidney tumour resection. METHODS: A total of 185 patients scheduled for NSS for small, superficial kidney tumours were included in an open, randomised, prospective, multicentre, parallel-group trial. Primary objectives were to test haemostatic efficacy and safety of TachoSil versus standard suturing. Efficacy was tested by comparing intraoperative time to haemostasis (primary end point). Secondary objectives included proportion of subjects with haemostasis after 10 min of trial treatment, occurrence of haematoma on day 2 after surgery, volume and haemoglobin concentration of postoperative drainage fluid, and surgeon's rating of usefulness of trial treatments. Safety was evaluated by occurrence of adverse events. RESULTS: In the intent-to-treat population, time to haemostasis was significantly shorter with TachoSil versus standard suturing (mean: 5.3 vs. 9.5 min [p<0.0001]). Haemostasis was obtained within 10 min in 92% of patients in the TachoSil group and in 67% in the standard treatment group (p<0.0001). Differences in other secondary end points were not statistically significant. Both treatments were well tolerated. Surgeons rated TachoSil higher in terms of convenience to prepare and apply, and impression of efficacy. CONCLUSION: TachoSil was superior to standard suturing in obtaining intraoperative control of haemorrhage and was as well tolerated as standard haemostatic treatment during NSS.