Alaska Pollock-derived Gelatin Sealant has Higher Sealing Strength than, and Comparable Biocompatibility with, Fibrin Sealant in Porcine and Rat Dural Injury Models

Abstract

Study Design. Burst strength study in porcine dural models and functional and histological study in rat dural models. Objective. This study aimed to investigate the sealing strength and biocompatibility of Alaska pollock-derived gelatin (ApGltn) and fibrin sealants in disrupted dural injuries. Summary of Background Data. Disruption of the dura mater occurs during spine surgery, leading to cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Fibrin sealant is usually applied to ruptured sites; however, it lacks sealing strength. A novel biocompatible sealant composed of ApGltn was recently demonstrated to have good burst strength and biocompatibility in the porcine aorta. Methods. Ten porcine dura maters with central holes were covered with ApGltn and fibrin sealants (five samples per group). The maximum burst strength of each sealant was measured, and histological examination was performed after burst testing. Twenty-seven dura maters of male Wistar rats were used for functional and histopathological evaluations. The rats were treated with three surgical interventions: defect + ApGltn sealant; defect + fibrin sealant; defect alone (nine rats per group). Macroscopic confirmation of the sealant, hindlimb motor function analysis, and histopathological examination were performed at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after the procedure. Results. The maximum burst strength of the ApGltn sealant was approximately 4.4 times higher than that of the fibrin sealant (68.1±12.1 vs. 15.6±8.7 mmHg; P<0.001). Histological examination confirmed that the ApGltn sealant showed tight adhesion to the dural surface, whereas a gap was observed between the fibrin sealant and the dura mater. In the rat model, the ApGltn sealant resulted in spinal function and dural histological findings similar to those of the fibrin sealant. Conclusions. The ApGltn sealant had a higher sealing strength than, and comparable effect on dura regeneration with, the fibrin sealant.