Effectiveness of fibrin sealant as hemostatic technique in accelerating ESD-induced ulcer healing: a retrospective study

Objectives Healing of gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD)-induced ulcer is critical for patient recovery. During ESD treatment, submucosal incisions are made with an electrosurgical knife to accomplish en bloc resections of superficial lesions. Nevertheless, excess electrocoagulation may decrease the blood supply of ESD-induced ulcer and delay the ulcer healing. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of conservative electrocoagulation followed by porcine fibrin sealant (FS) as a wound microvessels-protective hemostatic technique in promoting the healing of ESD-induced ulcer. Methods A total of 332 patients with early gastric cancer (EGCs), or gastric precancerous lesion and gastric adenoma were retrospectively analyzed. Propensity score matching was used to compensate for the differences in age, gender, tumor location, resected specimen area, and pathology. One-month ulcer healing rates and delayed bleeding were compared between two matched groups (combined hemostats group and electrocautery group). Results A total of 115 matched pairs were created after propensity score matching. There was no difference in tumor location, specimen surface area, tumor differentiation and invasion depth between groups. The completed healing rate 1 month after ESD was 44.3% in combined hemostats group and 30.4% in electrocautery group ( P = 0.004). There was no difference in delayed massive bleeding rate between two groups ( P = 0.300). In addition, based on the multivariate regression analysis for ulcer healing rate, the use of FS (OR, 0.348, 95% CI 0.196 − 0.617, P = 0.000) and larger specimen size (OR, 2.640, 95% CI 2.015–3.458, P = 0.000) were associated with nonhealing ulcer 1 month after ESD. Conclusion Applying conservative electrocoagulation followed by porcine FS as a wound microvessels-protective hemostatic technique can promote ESD-induced ulcer healing without increasing delayed bleeding.