Using absorbable chitosan hemostatic sponges as a promising surgical dressing

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Surgical Hemostasis

Background:

• Absorbable hemostatic dressings are crucial in surgical procedures to control bleeding.
• Chitosan, a natural polymer, possesses inherent hemostatic and biocompatible properties.
• The degree of deacetylation in chitosan influences its physicochemical and biological characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate chitosan sponges with varying deacetylation degrees (40% and 73%) for hemostatic applications.
• To evaluate the hemostatic, biocompatible, and biodegradable performance of these chitosan sponges in vivo.
• To determine the impact of chitosan deacetylation degree on its efficacy as an absorbable hemostatic dressing.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of chitosan sponges (CS-40 and CS-73) using a modified method.
• In vivo assessment of hemostatic efficacy using a hepatic hemorrhage model.
• Evaluation of blood compatibility, biodegradability, and tissue response through histological analysis.

Main Results:

• Chitosan sponges exhibited excellent blood compatibility, leading to reduced blood loss compared to gelation sponge (GS).
• CS-40 demonstrated superior hemostatic capability and biodegradability over CS-73.
• Histological analysis revealed that CS-40 promoted better biodegradability, tissue regeneration, and minimal tissue adhesion.

Conclusions:

• The deacetylation degree of chitosan is a critical factor influencing its hemostatic effect, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and tissue regeneration.
• CS-40 shows significant potential as an effective absorbable hemostatic dressing.
• Further research into chitosan-based hemostats can advance surgical bleeding control strategies.