Staple-line buttressing material in gastric-bypass surgery.

The problem of obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the USA. More than 50% of adults are obese or overweight. The only therapeutic intervention that provides effective long-term weight loss for the severely obese is bariatric surgery.

Applications of fibrin sealant in surgery.

Fibrin sealant has been used with increasing frequency in a variety of surgical field for its unique hemostatic and adhesive abilities. Fibrin sealant mimics the last step of the coagulation cascade and takes place independently of the patient's coagulation status. With rapid advances in minimally invasive surgery, the potential uses for this type of biologic and synthetic material are expanding exponentially.

Use of fibrin sealant in laparoscopic gastric bypass for the morbidly obese.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the most commonly performed bariatric operation in the USA. Anastomotic leak is one of the devastating complications in this operation. By using fibrin sealant around the anastomosis, surgeons can achieve better hemostasis around the suture-line and prevent or decrease the incidence of anastomotic leaks.