ε-Amino caproic acid additive decreases fibrin bandage performance in a swine arterial bleeding model

Abstract e-Amino caproic acid (EACA), a lysine analog that inhibits the activity of plasmin, was added to Nycomed (TC-S) fibrin bandages, and the bandages were tested for hemostatic efficacy in a swine femoral artery bleeding model. The blood loss using the bandage with EACA (TC-S+EACA; 728.8±132 g, n =5) was much greater as compared to the TC-S bandage alone (TC-S; 237.8±47.9 g, n =6, p =.02). The time to “cessation of bleeding” ( T b ) was also increased for animals treated with TC-S+EACA bandages compared to the TC-S controls (33.6±10.8 min vs. 9.2±2.2 min; p =.05). Although plasma fibrinogen concentration decreased in animals treated with the TC-S+EACA bandage, activated partial thromboplastin times (aPTT) and thrombin times (TT) were decreased. Animals treated with the TC-S control bandage exhibited no changes in fibrinogen, aPTT or TT. Prothrombin times (PT) were unchanged in either group. In conclusion, addition of EACA to the Nycomed product decreased fibrin bandage efficiency.