The evaluation of the effect of ankaferd blood stopper on controlling epistaxis (Experimental study)

Purpose: In this single-blind study, it was aimed to evaluate the hemostatic effect of Ankaferd Blood Stopper (ABS) in an experimental epistaxis model created in rabbits and to determine the changes than may occur in tissues through histopathologic examination of biopsy samples.Material and Method: Totally 28 New Zealand rabbits were divided into four groups, ABS group, gelatin foam (GF) group, 0.0125 mg/ml adrenalin + 20 mg/ml lidocaine (AL) group and serum physiologic (SP) group, each consisting of seven rabbits. With a mucosal incision, approximately 1 cm in length, on anterior part of the septum in the right nasal passage of each rabbit, bleeding was achieved. Then, 1x1 cm cotton pieces soaked with 0.5 cc of ABS, 0.5 cc of AL and 0.5 cc of SP and a GF 1x1 cm in size were applied to the bleeding area. The period required for hemostasis was recorded. Biopsy samples in 0.5 cm in size including the incision area were obtained 10 min after hemostasis and sent for histopathologic examination.Findings: The interval for hemostasis in rabbits was recorded. The times required for hemostasis in ABS, AL, GF and SP groups were recorded to be 38.57±5.53, 102.85±11.06, 111.42±15.64 and 227.14±17.14 seconds, respectively. In statistical analyses between paired groups, there were no significant differences between the times for hemostasis of AL group and GF group (p>0.05); whereas statistically significant differences were found in all other paired comparisons (p<0.05).As a consequence of the results obtained by staining with hematoxylin eosin (HE) and phosphotungstic acid hematoxylin (PTAH), minimal fibrin was determined between the incision edges in SP, GF and AL groups, whereas it was determined that the dark eosinophilic material seen on HE sections in ABS group was not fibrin.Conclusion: ABS, proven its efficacy as a hemostatic agent, shows its effectiveness quicker than some local agents used in epistaxis. The histopathologic findings demonstrated in the incision area support the hypothesis of that it effects via a different mechanism of action, e.g. creating a protein network formation. Further studies are needed on this issue.Key Words: Epistaxis, Ankaferd Blood Stopper, rabbit, epinephrine, lidocaine.