Recently neurosurgical operations have been carried out with water irrigation such as endoscopic third ventriculostomy and tumor resections in ventricles. Water irrigation is one of several published methods that promote hemostasis; however, not enough experimental evidence exists on its efficacy. In this study, we investigate whether hydrostatic pressure and persistent irrigation promote hemostasis in neuroendoscopic surgery. We dissected tails of 12-16-week-old C57BL/6 male mice at 5 mm proximal from the tip and checked for bleeding times under dry and wet conditions at pressures of 0 cmH2O, 10 cmH2O, 15 H2O, and 20 cmH2O without persistent irrigation to bleeding point and 10 cmH2O with persistent irrigation. We then examined the dissected edge with hematoxylin-eosin staining and measured the size of vessels. The average bleeding time of each group is as follows: dry: 203.4 sec, wet: 164.4 sec, 5 cmH2O: 138.6 sec, 10 cmH2O: 104.6 sec (P <0.001), 20 cmH2O: 56 sec (P <0.001), and 10 cmH2O with persistent irrigation: 72.8 sec (P <0.01 compared to 10 cmH2O without persistent irrigation). The maximum caliber of mice's tail artery was 50-60 μm. Hydrostatic pressure and irrigation are important factors contributing to hemostasis.
Keywords: hemostasis; hydrostatic pressure; irrigation; wet field operation.