Polymer sheet for covering tumors during endoscopic surgery

It is recommended that tumor surface should be covered before resection in endoscopic surgery, but this is difficult to do, and no satisfactory method for this purpose has been reported. Therefore, we developed a polymer sheet to cover the wet surfaces of tumors. The sheet we developed is composed mainly of a cellulose derivative, ethyl citrate, and polyacrylic acid. Experimental and clinical study was performed to investigate the usefulness of the sheet. The sheet became attached to the organ surface by absorbing fluid secreted by tissues, and remained fixed for a period of 2 to 3 hours. No foreign body or allergic reaction was observed, and no postoperative infection occurred. The polymer sheet can be used safely for the purpose of covering tumors during endoscopic surgery.