ABSORBABLE GELATIN FOAM: SYNTHESIS AND QUALITY ANALYSIS

Absorbable gelatin foam, commonly used in the surgery to stanch the flow of blood from a wound on the parenchymal organs, was synthesized and dried using freeze dryer (FD) and heat pump dryer (HPD). It was observed that heat pump drying takes 15 % lower time as compared to freeze drying at 38 °C for 2 cm thick foam patch. Freeze dried foam was found to be superior in quality in terms of water intake rate, water holding capacity, pliability, softness, and the pore size distribution. Beside quality aspects, the operating cost in freeze drying is almost 4.5 times higher as against the heat pump drying. Also, the equipment cost for freeze drying is 6 times expensive as compared to heat pump dryer.