Ankaferd Blood Stopper: Does it have a role in fracture healing?

Abstract

Aim: To examine the effect of Ankaferd Blood Stopper (ABS) on bone healing using a rat femur fracture model. Materials and methods: Eight rats were used as a control group (group 1), which was not subjected to fractures. The remaining 48 rats were divided into 6 groups of 8 each. The femoral shaft fractures were produced by cutting with bone scissors. One milliliter of ABS was applied to the fracture region of groups 3 (day 7), 5 (day 21), and 7 (day 45), or rats treated with saline instead of ABS on the fracture region in groups 2 (day 7), 4 (day 21), and 6 (day 45). After the treatments, blood was taken for analyses and fracture healing was evaluated radiologically according to the modified Lane and Sandhu scoring system on postfracture days 7, 21, and 45. Results: Fracture-hematoma formation interfered with ABS-induced hemostatic protein network or aggregation. Radiological healing scores observed at an average of 50% in group 3 were low compared to group 2 the first week, but fracture healing seemed to be normal at weeks 3 and 6. No statistical difference was observed for bone morphogenetic protein-2 and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, pyridinoline, and deoxypyridinoline studied among the groups. FGF-2 level in serum decreased by an average of 37.3% and 32.6% in groups 3 and 7, which were treated with ABS, in comparison with groups 2 and 6, respectively. Conclusion: The application of ABS to femur fractures has no extra positive effect on bone union in fracture healing periods, except for bleeding control.