Hemostasis and Bone Regeneration Using Chitosan/Gelatin-BCP Bi-layer Composite Material

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Hemostatic agents are crucial in surgery to control bleeding.
• Optimizing bone regeneration alongside hemostasis is a significant clinical challenge.
• Current hemostats may not fully support or enhance bone healing processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel electrospun gelatin-based bi-layered hemostat incorporating bi-phasic calcium phosphate and chitosan.
• To assess the hemostatic efficacy of the composite material.
• To investigate the impact of this bi-layered hemostat on bone formation and regeneration.

Main Methods:

• Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for material morphology.
• In vitro biocompatibility testing using preosteoblast cells (MC3t3-E1) and MTT assay.
• In vivo assessment of hemostatic activity in rat skull bleeding models.
• Micro-computed tomography (microCT) and histological analysis to evaluate bone regeneration.

Main Results:

• The bi-layered hemostat demonstrated excellent in vitro biocompatibility with no observed toxicity and promoted cell proliferation.
• The material exhibited rapid hemostatic activity, halting bone bleeding within 3 minutes.
• Significant enhancement of bone regeneration was observed, particularly when the hemostat was used as a degradable material in a 3mm defect model.

Conclusions:

• The composite bi-layered hemostat effectively controls bleeding and supports osteoblast proliferation.
• This novel hemostat significantly enhances bone regeneration, offering a promising solution for surgical applications.
• The degradable nature of the bi-layered hemostat further improves bone healing outcomes.