Tarlov Cyst Disease Foundation Hosts International Teleconference with Baxter International, Inc. and Physicians Who Treat Tarlov Cyst Patients
Tuesday, May 8th, 2007
An incredible meeting of physicians to discuss treatments for patients with Tarlov cysts occurred in the spring of 2007.The Foundation arranged the meeting with Baxter International representatives from the Medical Affairs and Bio-Surgery Science divisions, in an unprecedented opportunity to discuss the use of the product Tisseel/Tissucol in surgical procedures, and in the procedure for aspiration and fibrin glue injection. The Tarlov Cyst Disease Foundation’s President moderated the teleconference. Physicians who participated were from France, Italy and across the United States from the east coast to the west coast. This initial communication provided an opportunity for the physicians to share their treatment procedures for Tarlov cysts, and discuss possibilities for the future. There was a collegial harmony during the teleconference as they discussed their desire to share information with each other and to continue collaboration in the future. The teleconference was very beneficial as a communication between the company that manufactures Tisseel/Tissucol and the physicians who are using it to treat Tarlov cysts. The ultimate beneficiaries of this Teleconference are Tarlov cyst patients internationally.
Key summary points from the Teleconference:
- There was consensus among the neurosurgeons, interventional neuroradiologist, neurologist, orthopedic surgeon, and pain management specialist that changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure are a critical factor in the cause of Tarlov cysts and in the treatment.
It was discussed that a possible treatment consideration should be made, regarding a combination of aspiration and fibrin glue injection procedure and a shunt placement, to prevent future cyst development due to increase in CSF pressure. This was discussed due to new cyst development or refilling of cyst, that has occurred after surgery and aspiration and fibrin glue injection procedures.
The physicians were in agreement to share their data from patient treatments and outcomes in order to provide a scientific research analysis in the future. The Foundation will facilitate this project with a research company.
- Baxter International representatives made the following key points regarding the physiology of the product Tisseel/Tissucol:
- The FDA and Baxter recommends that Tisseel/Tissucol not be used more frequently than every 12 months in the same patient, due to the increasing possibility of an allergic reaction to the product. Tisseel has been used for 28 years in surgical procedures for heart, pancreas, liver and other organ surgeries as a tissue sealant.
- Tisseel is a biodegradable product that is physiologically designed to absorb in 7-14 days. Baxter International, Inc. has not tested the use of Tisseel in closed cavities such as inside a cyst, nor in a closed cavity containing cerebrospinal fluid.
- Tisseel, a tissue sealant product, physiologically reaches 70% of its clot forming potential in 3 minutes, and it reaches its full potential in 2 hours.
- There is nothing in the physiology of Tisseel that would be affected by the patient taking Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID), before or after the procedure using Tisseel.
Fostering communication and collaboration within the medical community is one of the Tarlov Cyst Disease Foundation’s specific purposes and objectives. We believe the teleconference is a beginning of improved understanding between physicians willing to share their experiences. It is the Tarlov Cyst Disease Foundation’s plan to provide a mechanism for future research endeavors with clinical investigators, industries that provide pharmaceutical products and devices, academic research centers, and others interested in scientific data collection related to Tarlov cyst patients and their treatments and outcomes.