Rapid suture-free repair of arterial bleeding: A novel approach with ultra-thin bioadhesive hydrogel membrane

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Switzerland : 1996), 2023-09, Vol.472, p.144865, Article 144865
• Main Authors: Luo, Siwei, Yang, Long, Zou, Qiang, Yuan, Daizhu, Xu, Shunen, Zhao, Yanchi, Wu, Xin, Wang, Zhen, Ye, Chuan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arterial injury; Electrospinning; Photosensitive hydrogel; Regenerative medicine; Suture-free repair
• ISSN: 1385-8947; 1873-3212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2023.144865

•Fast suture-free repair of arterial rupture achieved in 23 s using 180 µm TBHM.•TBHM: tissue-adhesive hydrogel membrane with rapid polymerization and instant phase transition.•Stable solid phase transformed to activated liquid phase, sealing wounds upon 405 nm light crosslinking.•Biodegradable, biologically safe TBHM integrates portability, stability, reliability, and instant repair.•Significantly reduces surgical difficulty, suitable for field hospitals and ambulances. Arterial injuries, particularly in emergency situations or challenging environments, demand convenient, safe, and efficient repair strategies. Herein, we developed and evaluated a portable, suture-free, ultra-thin arterial repair membrane, referred to as the tissue-adhesive biphasic hydrogel membrane (TBHM). The TBHM was developed using electrospinning technology and a biphasic photosensitive hydrogel, composed of nitrobenzene-modified hyaluronic acid (HA-NB) and methacrylated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA-MA), with lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP) as the photoinitiator. The TBHM was characterized by rapid bonding, high adaptability, and the ability to withstand a maximum burst pressure of 441.9 ± 25 mmHg. This membrane is capable of rapidly crosslinking and sealing a wound within 23 s. In vitro cell culture assays validated the biocompatibility and safety of the TBHM. Using a rabbit carotid artery rupture model, the TBHM allowed for immediate suture-free repair. Postoperative CT and Doppler ultrasound examinations confirmed restoration of normal anatomical structure and function. Histopathological analysis and molecular biology tests suggested that TBHM has potential anti-inflammatory and tissue regeneration-promoting properties. This study thus presented the TBHM as a promising novel strategy for the rapid, suture-free repair of arterial injuries, which may revolutionize emergency trauma and hemorrhage control scenarios.