Blood-aggregating hydrogel particles for use as a hemostatic agent

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Hemostasis Research
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Massive blood loss is life-threatening and current hemostatic agents present limitations such as high cost, inefficacy, and safety concerns.
• Synthetic hydrogel particles present a promising, inexpensive alternative for hemostatic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize N-(3-aminopropyl)methacrylamide (APM) hydrogel particles.
• To evaluate the hemostatic efficacy of APM hydrogel particles in vitro and in vivo.

Main Methods:

• Inverse suspension polymerization was used to synthesize APM hydrogel particles with controlled size distribution and swelling properties.
• In vitro coagulation assays were performed to assess blood aggregate formation and coagulation inhibition.
• In vivo studies utilized rat injury and ovine liver laceration models to evaluate hemostatic performance.
• Histological analysis (hematoxylin and eosin, Carstairs' method) was conducted on ovine liver tissues.

Main Results:

• APM hydrogel particles demonstrated rapid swelling and formed blood aggregates in vitro.
• In vitro studies indicated both blood coagulation inhibition and aggregate formation by the hydrogel particles.
• In vivo models showed that APM hydrogel particles significantly accelerated hemostasis.
• Histological examination confirmed the formation of hemostatic plugs at the wound sites.

Conclusions:

• Cationic APM hydrogel particles effectively control blood loss by forming a physical barrier through aggregation.
• These particles promote local hemostasis via electrostatic interactions while decreasing overall coagulation activity.
• The study highlights a versatile synthetic platform for developing advanced hemostatic materials.