TUESDAY, Oct. 4 (HealthDay News) -- LeGoo, a gel to stem blood flow temporarily during surgery that requires joining blood vessels, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The product allows surgeons to avoid use of clamps or elastic loops and clearly see where to stitch two vessels together, the agency said in a news release. Injected into a vessel, the gel hardens into a plug that forms to the shape of the vessel, preventing blood flow for up to 15 minutes.

The plug is designed to dissolve on its own, but the process can be sped up if the surgeon applies a cold pack or cold saline to the area, the FDA said.

LeGoo is approved for vessels 4 millimeters or less in diameter, and shouldn't be used on vessels that deliver blood to the brain, the agency warned.

The product is manufactured by PluroMed Inc., based in Woburn, Mass.

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