1. Reduction of retrosternal and pericardial adhesions with rapidly resorbable polymer films 
Naoki Okuyama, MD, Catherine Y Wang, MD, Eric A Rose, MD, Kathleen E Rodgers, PhD, Eli Pines, PhD, Gere S diZerega, MD, Mehmet C Oz, MD 
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 
Volume 68, Issue 3, Pages (September 1999)
DOI: /S (99)

2. Fig 1
Six 2-0 polyester-coated Dacron sutures were placed on the pericardium 2 to 3 cm away from the cutting edge; two on each side, one on the top through the sternum and on the bottom through xyphoid. The pericardial edges were then bilaterally sutured into the corresponding sides of the chest wall, and the sutures on the top and bottom were tied into the sternum and the xyphoid, respectively. The heart was then brought toward the sternum ensuring that the anterior surface of the right ventricle was in slight contact with the sternum. The pericardium was left open more than 5 cm.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /S (99) )

3. Fig 2
Mean adhesion (Adh) area for each group in model 1, pericardial adhesions, shown as mean ± standard error of the mean. Each treatment group was compared with the control group (∗p < 0.05) and analyzed by Mann-Whitney test. (EO = polyethylene glycol; LA = polylactic acid.)
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /S (99) )

4. Fig 3
Overall mean adhesion scores for tenacity and density for each group in model 1, pericardial adhesions, shown as mean ± standard error of the mean. Each group was compared with the control group (∗p < 0.05) and the statistical analysis was done with Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. (EO = polyethylene glycol; LA = polylactic acid.)
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /S (99) )

5. Fig 4
Mean adhesion (Adh) area for each group in model 2, retrosternal adhesions, shown as mean ± standard error of the mean. Each treatment group was compared with the control group (∗p < 0.05) and analyzed by Student’s t test. (EO = polyethylene glycol; LA = polylactic acid.)
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /S (99) )

6. Fig 5
Overall mean adhesion scores for tenacity and density for each group in model 2, pericardial adhesions, shown as mean ± standard error of the mean. Each group was compared with the control group (∗p < 0.05) and the statistical analysis was done with Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. (EO = polyethylene glycol; LA = polylactic acid.)
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /S (99) )

7. Fig 6
Necropsy taken 24 days after operation from control animal and bioresorbable film. Severe and nondissectable adhesion was seen in the control animal (A). A heart free of adhesions can be seen in the polyethylene glycol/polylactic acid 1.5-treated animal (B).
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /S (99) )

8. Fig 7
Hematoxylin and eosin-stained specimens of the right ventricular wall from beneath the sternum 72 hours after operation. The reduced inflammatory area and amount of inflammatory cells were seen in the polyethylene glycol/polylactic acid (EO/LA) 3.0 film-treated animal (right) compared to the control animal (left). (original magnification, x120.)
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /S (99) )

9. Fig 8
Before the sternum closure, the transparent film was placed on the surface of the heart with four corners slightly affixed to the pericardium.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /S (99) )