Squid gel can reduce surgical scarring and bleeding

NI Wire

New Delhi

Mon, 19 Nov 2007: 

Nov 19: A gel derived from ‘Squid’ a sea animal having 10 arms surrounding its mouth has been found to reduce bleeding and scarring during surgery. The researcrs hail from University of Otago, the oldest one in New Zealand, claimed this unique property of gel and hence got it patented.

Professor Brian Robinson and colleague who developed the gel said that it all began when his son Simon, a surgeon in Wellington Wakefield hospital suggested him to do so.

He revealed that chemist decided to try using a chemically modified form of polymer Chitosan, derived from the body part of squid.

He said, “We are lucky. The first thing that we tried worked.”

As in New Zealand a number cases of endoscopic operation take place to relieve sinus operation every year, several patients are left with a type of scarring called “adhesions” which generally blocks sinus passages and require further surgery. The gel stops the formation of adhesion.

The researchers from University of Adelaide tested the gel on sheep having similar sinus structure to humans.

The large scale trial is aimed on human being with the trial being successful on a small scale.

It was revealed that the two ingredients from two tubes were mixed and was sprayed in the patient nose which then forms a thick sticky layer, reducing the bleeding during surgery.

Professor Robinson said, “It’s really a very exciting product which may have a profound effect on lot of people around the world, not only for the sinuses but other surgeries.”

This discovery will not only help surgery related to sinusitis but also many other surgeries. Many pharmaceutical industries are vying for its large scale production which is a new step for overcoming a major problem during surgery. With this, doctor can certainly have a better look at what they are doing thereby reducing the duration of operation.

As bleeding one of the hardest problems in surgery, researchers are in constant effort to find out something effective to combat bleeding from the damaged blood vessels. Doctors in present time are using a very few tools but not effective like using clamps, cautery, sponges and pressure method. However, while using such methods of clamps or cauterisation, sometimes doctors face problem of blood clotting in the process as those tools stop bleeding immediately.

Hence, this seems an effective product and if its success rate increases then doctors could have a better alternative to stop bleeding in any major trauma and vascular surgery.