Thursday, March 13, 2008

Arista - indicated in surgical procedures EXCEPT neurological, ophthalmic, and urological

The FDA has announced the approval to market Arista™ AH Absorbable Hemostat, a device from Minneapolis, MN based Medafor, Inc. Have you ever heard of absorbable hemostat? Turns out the device is not a surgical instrument, but rather a polysaccharide material, manufactured from potato starch, that promotes local clot formation.
Here's how the company explains its technology that might be useful for multiple specialities, from trauma to ophthalmic, and urological procedures.
MPH® (Microporous Polysaccharide Hemospheres) represents a new process for effecting almost instantaneous hemostasis at wound sites, even in the presence of profuse bleeding. The technology consists of an engineered biopolymeric, microporous particle, with a controlled pore size, which is designed to act as a sieve to dehydrate the blood and thus serve to accelerate the natural clotting process.
Using this technology, clotting has been demonstrated to initiate within as little as 30 seconds to one minute, compared to as much as 30 minutes required by traditional hemostats. Applied topically, MPH gels rapidly with no tissue irritation, creating a protected environment for hemostasis and healing.
The particles, or beads, are derived from plant-based biomaterials with an extensive history of use in humans. The final packaged material is stable, bio-compatible and sterile.