Hemostasis vs. epidural fibrosis?: A comparative study on an experimental rat model of laminectomy

Abstract Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the histopathological and biochemical impact and effectiveness of two hemostatic agents, Ankaferd blood stopper (ABS) and Microporous Polysaccharide Hemospheres (MPH), on epidural fibrosis in an experimental rat laminectomy model. Material and methods Twenty adult Wistar albino rats were divided into MPH-treated ( n  = 6), ABS-treated ( n  = 6) and control ( n  = 8) groups. Laminectomy of the lumbar spine was performed in all animals and treatment groups were exposed to MPH and ABS while closure was applied in control group as per usual. Epidural fibrosis was evaluated in all groups macroscopically, histopathologically, biochemically and with electron microscopy four weeks later. Results Statistically, it was found that MPH-treated group had significantly less epidural fibrosis compared to ABS-treated and control groups. Conclusion We compared two hemostatic agents for their propensity to cause adhesions in the present study. Our results show that MPH significantly reduces epidural scar formation and dural adhesion in a rat model of laminectomy while ABS increases postoperative fibrosis.