A multicenter, prospective, randomized trial evaluating a new hemostatic agent for spinal surgery.

Study Design: A prospective, randomized trial comparing Proceed, a gelatin-based hemostatic sealant (treatment), with Gelfoam-thrombin (control) in stopping intraoperative bleeding during spinal surgery.

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness and safety of Proceed.

Summary Of Background Data: Proceed has been tested in animal models to determine its safety and effectiveness as a hemostatic agent.

Acute effects of topical methyl tert-butyl ether or ethyl propionate on gallbladder histology in animals: a comparison of two solvents for contact dissolution of cholesterol gallstones.

Experiments were performed in anesthetized rabbits and piglets to assess gallbladder mucosal injury during irrigation with methyl tert-butyl ether, a C5 ether, or ethyl propionate, a C5 ester--two organic solvents used in the contact dissolution of cholesterol gallstones. In 44 New Zealand White rabbits, the gallbladder was exposed to individual solvents or saline solution through a transhepatic catheter for 2 hr. Gallbladders were then harvested and fixed immediately or after a recovery period of 1, 4 or 8 days.

The dependence of force and velocity on calcium and length in cardiac muscle segments.

The segment length (SL) dependence of force (F) and light load shortening velocity (VL) was determined for central segments of ferret papillary muscles at different extracellular calcium concentrations. Muscles were maintained at 27 degrees C in a physiological solution which contained in mM: NaCl 140; KCl 5.0; MgSO4 1.

Onset of relaxation in cardiac muscle segments.

The onset of relaxation has been studied in undamaged central segments of isolated ferret papillary muscles at 27 degrees C, 12 beats/min. A technique that provides a signal proportional to the length of a chosen segment was used to assess segment velocity and length. Feedback control was employed to obtain segment isometric contractions.

Myocardial segment velocity at a low load: time, length, and calcium dependence.

The length and time dependence of shortening velocity (VL) at a very light load (1 mN) was determined for central segments of ferret papillary muscle at 27 degrees C. A recently developed technique that measures the cross-sectional area of the chosen segment was used to assess segment length. Segment length (SL) or force could be used as a feedback control signal.

Force-length relations in cardiac muscle segments.

Using a new technique that measures the length of a segment in the central region of isolated papillaries, we have determined the force-segment length relation for ferret papillary muscles at 27 degrees C. The muscles contracted under muscle length isometric (auxotonic) and segment isometric conditions in physiological solutions containing 9.0, 4.