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TAPE: A Biodegradable Hemostatic Glue Inspired by a Ubiquitous Compound in Plants for Surgical Application

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Instant tough bioadhesive with triggerable benign detachment.

Xiaoyu Chen¹, Hyunwoo Yuk¹, Jingjing Wu¹

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|June 25, 2020

Summary

This study introduces a novel bioadhesive for instant, strong tissue adhesion on wet surfaces. The biocompatible adhesive offers on-demand, gentle detachment, overcoming limitations of current wound closure methods.

Keywords:

bioadhesive dry cross-linking hydrogel triggerable wet adhesion

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Area of Science:

Biomaterials Science
Tissue Engineering
Surgical Innovation

Background:

Existing bioadhesives for wound closure have limitations like slow adhesion, weak bonding, and poor biocompatibility.
Sutures and staples are standard but can cause tissue damage and complications.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a novel bioadhesive with instant adhesion and triggerable detachment for wet tissues.
To overcome the limitations of current tissue adhesives and sealants.

Main Methods:

The bioadhesive utilizes interfacial water removal followed by physical and covalent cross-linking for adhesion.
Detachment is achieved by cleaving cross-links with a biocompatible triggering solution.
In vivo biocompatibility was assessed in a rat model, and ex vivo applications were demonstrated in porcine models.

Main Results:

The bioadhesive forms instant, tough adhesion on dynamic wet tissues.
The hydrogel exhibits mechanical properties comparable to soft tissues.
Benign, on-demand detachment was successfully demonstrated using the triggering solution.
In vivo and ex vivo studies confirmed biocompatibility and potential applications.

Conclusions:

This new bioadhesive offers rapid, strong adhesion and controlled detachment for wet tissue applications.
It presents a promising alternative to traditional wound closure methods, enhancing surgical procedures.
Further research may lead to advanced applications in regenerative medicine and implant integration.