I read a couple experiences in the archives in which Seprafilm® did not prevent adhesions and the possible need for re-surgery. I also found this -

Observations on the Use of Seprafilm® on the Brachial Plexus in 249 Operations for Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

My surgeon is exploring potential alternative, more modern barriers to Seprafilm®. I haven't seen any brand other than Seprafilm® discussed here. Does anyone have any insight here? Has anyone asked their surgeon about this recently?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhesion_barrier

I find it worrisome that you're doing research for your surgeon.

I'm doing research for myself (and for TOS sufferers who are sure to search for answers here in the future). Call it obsessive personality if you will. I want to know every detail of surgery. My doctors are kind enough to humor me.

Even with the barriers there is a possiblility that surrounding areas will make "scar" or adheisive tissue, if you are prone to that sort of thing. But I'm sure it is a good preventative measure.
Some people are more prone to it & some people aren't.

I think that is part of the roll of the dice regarding surgery.


ggrrr my firefox auto spellchecker is not working - mainly need it for typos when fingers hit the wrong keys LOL

I imagine myself rolling into the operating room and presenting the surgeon with a roll of adhesion film (or Saran Wrap!) that I'd like him to try! ("Doctor, nine out of ten patients prefer this brand,..." ) I understand the obsession, though. I think we all do that to help feel like we have some control over a pretty scary operation. I'm pretty sure Donahue told me that it was Steri-whatever that he used, as well as some sort of barrier on the spots where bone was cut. Carry on!

Dr. Donahue said that there was no way to prevent scar tissue, really. It's what our healthy bodies do naturally.

My Dr used Surgiwrap. He said he switched to it about 2 years ago and has had a good success rate with it so far. I'm pretty sure he said this one took your body about 2-3 months longer to start to absorb.

Jo is right, how many from the past that had wraps done and all the scar matter did was grow around and entwine. There is no way to stop the scar matter and adhesions. Some people are more prone, some are prone and some it can take years, rarely we have some that luck out.

There use to be use of Adcon L, from back surgeries thought to prevent scaring, failed....there there was the gortex film wraps, failed.
After all these years and now another family member in terrible pain, accomadating and limiting activities that flare to get to the piont of tolerating, or remission is what we hope for.

I had my best luck with an epidural in the C5 during a migraine cervogenic episode. Left the pain doc's after that proceedure never to have a flare that bad again. I do maintain, work pt, but the rest of my past life is a memory.

Now it is not doing anything to flare, and if my lumbar issues flare, I am in the recliner a lot.....hate not having the life I did, but it is not worse.

My neurosurgeon, Dr. Ty is somewhat of a pioneer in surgical techniques using stem cells.

http://blog.basicspine.com/category/dr-tys-blog/

He believes that a barriers derived from amniotic stem cells is the evolution in adhesion barriers. He specifically referred to a barrier called BioDfence by BioDlogics.

http://www.biodlogics.com/biodfence.htm
http://www.biodlogics.com/Site/Biodl.../BioDFence.pdf
http://amedica.com/products/biod/dfence.pdf

I'm not saying this is the answer to preventing adhesions but medical technology is constantly advancing and this appears promising.

My vascular surgeon, Dr. Angle is not going to use a barrier in my TOS decompression (left transaxillary rib resection) scheduled for 4/19. He does not believe my case requires full scalenectomy or neurolysis. His belief is that the less tissue a surgeon manipulates the better, especially around nerves. Some surgeons may get overzealous trying to perfect the internal anatomy and end up doing more tissue work than they should (obvious problems need to be corrected of course).

I don't keloid or scar easily (my incision from my anterior cervical fusion 2/28/11 is practically invisible now). I hope for further advances in adhesion barriers especially for those that do. My wife keloids very easily and I'm hoping she never requires surgery.

Marc,

I believe my surgeon didn't use an adhesion barrier either and I had a great outcome on the right side so you can have a good outcome without the barriers. My surgeon used the same approach as yours. I'm hoping to achieve similar results on the left side but expecting the outcome not to be the same as this is my dominate side.

Good luck on Thursday!