Alginates are used as haemostats in wound dressings. They act as calcium ion (Ca) donors as they contain mannuronic (M) or guluronic (G) groups with a high Ca content. This study compared the effects of calcium and zinc containing alginates and non-alginate dressings on blood coagulation and platelet activation to determine which was the best haemostat. We showed that alginate materials activated coagulation more than non-alginate materials. The extent of coagulation activation was affected differently by the alginate M or G group composition. It was demonstrated that alginates containing zinc ions had the greatest potentiating effect on prothrombotic coagulation and platelet activation.
3. Gilchrist, T. and A. M. Martin. "Wound Treatment with Sorbsan—An Alginate Fibre Dressing,"Biomaterials, 4:317-320.
4.
4. Blair, S. D., P. Jarvis, M. Salmon and C. N. McCollum. 1990. "Clinical Trial of Calcium Alginate Haemostatic Swabs,"Br. J. Surg., 77:568-570.
5.
5. Salmon, M., S. D. Blair, P. Jarvis and C. N. McCollum. 1988. "A Comparison of the Effect of Different Calcium Alginates on Coagulation and Haemostasis," paper presented to XXII Congress of the International Society of Haematology, Aug 28-2 Sept.
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6. Blair, S. D., C. M. Rackhouse, J. L. Matthews and C. N. McCollum. 1986. "Haemostatic Materials in Experimental Liver Wounds,"Br. J. Surg., 73:1025-1026.
7.
7. Jarvis, P. M., D. A. J. Galvin, S. D. Blair and C. N. McCollum. 1987. "How Does Alginate Achieve Haemostasis in Surgery"?Thromb Haemos., p. 5.
8.
8. Mackie, I. J., R. Jones and S. J. Machin. 1984. "Platelet Impedance Aggregation Whole Blood and Its Inhibition by Antiplatelet Drugs,"J. of Clin. Pathol., 37:874-878.
9.
9. Klokkevold, P. R., P. Subar, H. Fukayama and C. N. Bertolami. 1992. "Effect of Chitosan in Lingual Haemostasis in Rabbits with Platelet Dysfunction Induced by Epoprostenol,"J. Oral Maxillofac. Sur., 50:41-45.
10.
10. Malette, W. G., H. J. Quigley, R. D. Gaines, N. D. Johnson and W. G. Rainer. 1983. "Chitosan: A New Haemostatic,"The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 36:55-58.
11.
11. Schousboe, I.1993. "Contact Activation in Human Plasma Is Triggered by Zinc Ion Modulation of Factor XII (Hageman Factor),"Blood Coagulation and Fibrinolysis, 4:671-678.
12.
12. Kowalska, M. A., D. Juliano, M. J. Trybulec, W. Lu and S. Niewiarowski. 1994. "Zinc Ions Potentiate Adenoside Diphosphate-Induced Platelet Aggregation by Activation of Protein Kinase C,"J. Lab. Clin. Med., 124:102-109.
