Carbazochrome Salicylate as a Systemic Hemostatic Agent in Plastic Operations

Abstract

THE CONTROL of bleeding is a major surgical problem. This is particularly true in plastic surgery where oozing may endanger the success of a procedure and where bleeding points may be inaccessible. An operative field continuously deluged with blood makes precise, anatomic dissection difficult if not impossible. Excessive operative bleeding causes an increase not only in anesthesia time but in morbidity and mortality. Postoperative bleeding may compromise an otherwise good technical result in any operative procedure. The problem would be minimized if a systemic hemostatic agent could be administered preoperatively to the patient. Carbazochrome (Adrenosem) salicylate, one of the oxidation products of epinephrine, has been promoted as such an agent. There have been numerous reports of its success 1-13 and few reports of its failure. 14-16 The Council on Drugs of the American Medical Association has cautioned that there is insufficient evidence to prove that cessation of bleeding could