Advanced polyelectrolyte complexes for ultrafast hemostasis and blood superabsorption.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Hemostasis Research
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Hemorrhage is a major cause of trauma mortality.
• Current hemostatic devices aim to control bleeding but have limitations.
• Polyphosphates (PP) accelerate blood clotting but require controlled delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a superabsorbent hemostatic device with time-controlled release of procoagulant polyphosphates (PP).
• To investigate the mechanism of PP binding and release from modified chitosan scaffolds.
• To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of the hemostatic sponges in controlling blood loss.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of modified chitosan sponge scaffolds with tunable electrostatic properties.
• Characterization of polyphosphate (PP) binding and release kinetics using electrostatic interactions.
• In vitro assessment of blood clotting time under static and dynamic conditions.
• In vivo evaluation of hemostatic efficacy using a rat hepatic hemorrhage model.

Main Results:

• The hemostatic sponges demonstrated controlled release of PP via competing electrostatic interactions.
• Blood clotting time was reduced by up to 75% in vitro and in vivo.
• The sponges exhibited superabsorbent properties, absorbing up to 25 times their dry mass in fluid within 8 hours.
• Consistent efficacy was observed across in vitro and in vivo studies.

Conclusions:

• A novel polyelectrolyte complex-based hemostatic sponge effectively controls bleeding.
• Tunable electrostatic interactions enable time-controlled release of polyphosphates for enhanced hemostasis.
• The superabsorbent and rapid clotting properties make these sponges suitable for managing various bleeding conditions.