A keratin/chitosan sponge with excellent hemostatic performance for uncontrolled bleeding

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Hemostasis Research

Background:

• Uncontrolled bleeding presents a significant mortality risk in emergencies.
• Conventional hemostatic agents are often inadequate for severe or incompressible hemorrhage.
• There is a critical need for advanced hemostatic biomaterials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel keratin/chitosan (K/C) sponge for rapid hemostasis.
• To assess the biocompatibility and biodegradability of the K/C sponge.
• To compare the hemostatic efficacy of the K/C sponge against commercial alternatives.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a porous keratin/chitosan sponge.
• Characterization using SEM, TGA, liquid absorption, and porosity measurements.
• In vivo evaluation in rat tail amputation and liver trauma models, alongside cytotoxicity and implantation tests.

Main Results:

• The K/C sponge exhibited high porosity (90.12 ± 2.17%) and excellent blood absorption.
• Cytotoxicity and implantation studies confirmed the K/C sponge's biocompatibility and biodegradability.
• The K/C sponge demonstrated superior hemostatic performance compared to chitosan sponge and gelatin sponge.
• Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was effectively shortened, indicating activation of the endogenous coagulation pathway.

Conclusions:

• The developed K/C sponge is a highly effective, biocompatible, and biodegradable hemostatic material.
• Its mechanism involves promoting the endogenous coagulation pathway for rapid hemostasis.
• K/C sponge represents a promising advancement in biomedical hemostatic materials for critical bleeding situations.