Ovarian Reserve After Ovarian Hemostasis by Floseal Matrix

Laparoscopy has become the gold standard for the surgical treatment of benign ovarian cysts and is usually performed by stripping the ovarian cyst wall, followed by bleeding control of the ovarian wound ground using bipolar coagulation. However, the hemostasis with bipolar coagulation could result in the damage of ovarian reserve and decrease the response of the ovaries to hormonal stimulation for assisted reproductive technologies. The possible mechanism may contribute to thermal destruction of ovarian follicles by excessive use of bipolar coagulation for hemostasis purposes.

To avoid additional ovarian tissue damage by conventional bipolar coagulation being potentially important ovarian reproductive function, hemostasis using various topical hemostatic agents has introduced to control post-cystectomy ovarian wound bleeding. Among them, FloSeal (Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Deerfield, IL, USA) is a hemostatic matrix sealant composed of a gelatin-based matrix and thrombin solution. On coming into contact with blood after application at a bleeding site, the gelatin particles swell and tamponade bleeding. The bulk of the gelatin matrix-thrombin composite has the effect of slowing blood flow and providing exposure to a high thrombin concentration, thus hastening clot formation. Therefore, it may more suitable for use in post-cystectomy ovarian wound bleeding, where there is superficially pervasive focus of bleeding.

Ovarian reserve is defined as the functional potential of the ovary, which reflects the number and quality of antral follicles left in the ovary, and is correlated with the response to ovarian stimulation using exogenous gonadotropin. Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) has been accepted as the most reliable and easily measurable marker for postoperative assessment of ovarian reserve.

The investigators conducted a multicenter, large-scale, randomized controlled trial to investigate whether hemostasis by Floseal was superior to that by bipolar coagulation in preserving ovarian reserve by assessing serial AMH levels in patients undergoing laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy for benign ovarian cysts.