Topical hemostasis: a valuable adjunct to control bleeding in the operating room, with a special focus on thrombin and fibrin sealants

Background: Achieving surgical hemostasis plays a major role in the operating room. Occasionally, classical surgical techniques are ill suited or fail to achieve the desired control at the site of bleeding. Topical hemostasis may be seen as a useful addition to assist the surgeon in controlling surgical bleeding. Objective: To provide a brief overview of available topical hemostatic agents with a focus on the different formulations of thrombin. Methods: The scope of the review was limited to a keyword search on PubMed and Ovid (surgical hemostasis, thrombin, tissue adhesives). Conclusion: Proven as adjuncts to surgical hemostasis, topical hemostatic agents have become quite valuable to bridge or to achieve permanent hemostasis.