Product Description.:
Sterile Sponge, used dry or saturated with sterile sodium chloride solution, is indicated in surgical procedures as a hemostatic device, when control of capillary, venous, and arteriolar bleeding by pressure, ligature, and other conventional procedures is either ineffective or impractical. Although not necessary, GELFOAM can be used either with or without thrombin to obtain hemostasis.
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GELFOAM SPONGE Safety Information
Important Safety Information
GELFOAM is not intended as a substitute for meticulous surgical technique.
Only the minimum amount of GELFOAM necessary to achieve hemostasis should be used. Once hemostasis is achieved, excess GELFOAM should be carefully removed.
GELFOAM should not be used in closure of skin incisions because it may interfere with the healing of skin edges.
GELFOAM should not be placed in intravascular compartments, because of the risk of embolization.
While packing a cavity for hemostasis is sometimes surgically indicated, GELFOAM should not be used in this manner unless excess product not needed to maintain hemostasis is removed.
The use of GELFOAM is not recommended in the presence of infection. There have been reports of fever associated with the use of GELFOAM, without demonstrable infection.
GELFOAM may form a nidus of infection and abscess formation, and has been reported to potentiate bacterial growth.
