New Treatment for Bone Bleeding

A new treatment for bone bleeding offers an alternative to beeswax, an American Civil War-era battlefield remedy.

Researchers from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles, USA) have developed a new synthetic copolymer, called Ostene, a bone hemostasis material that is designed to stop bone bleeding in orthopedic, cardiac, and neurospinal surgery without the harmful side effects associated with commonly used beeswax.

Ostene acts like a mechanical barrier, stopping bone bleeding instantaneously, but unlike beeswax, it does so without interfering with bone healing or causing inflammation of the surrounding soft tissue. Made of water-soluble alkylene oxide copolymers, Ostene is completely synthetic and does not react with the body's chemistry, reducing the risk of infection and allergic reactions. It allows the bone to heal without causing an inflammatory response, and is eliminated from the body within 48 hours after surgery. The product has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Ostene is manufactured by Ceremed (Los Angeles, CA, USA).

Beeswax remains at the surgical site indefinitely and may induce an inflammatory response even 10 years after surgery. The number of bacteria needed to produce a bone infection is reduced 10,000 times in the presence of beeswax, and it also prevents new bone formation and bone union. Once covered with beeswax, a bone will not regenerate.



Related Links:
University of Southern California
Ceremed