Hemostatic, Tissue-Adhesive Colloidal Wound Dressing Functionalized by UV Irradiation

Topical hemostatic agents have been widely used to stop intra-/postoperative bleeding from wounds and resected tissue surfaces. However, hemostatic agents that can accelerate blood coagulation and promote wound healing have not been established because of their poor tissue adhesiveness under wet conditions. Here, we report a colloidal wound dressing of hemostatic and tissue-adhesive hydrophobized microparticles (hMPs) functionalized by UV irradiation. hMPs were prepared by adding ethanol to hydrophobically modified Alaska pollock gelatin and applying the thermal cross-linking method. The hMPs were then subjected to simple UV irradiation to introduce hydrophilic groups. The UV-irradiated hMPs improved water/blood absorption and exerted hemostatic property in a rat model of liver injury. On the other hand, the hMPs maintained tissue adhesiveness even after UV irradiation owing to the cohesion force generated by hydrophobic interactions between the hMPs. Moreover, the hMPs did not show undesirable adhesion to other tissues after swelling. This colloidal wound dressing can be used to promote tissue regeneration in intra-/postoperative wounds through hemostasis and protection from postoperative adhesion.