Robust water-activated tissue adhesive patch for arterial/heart wound closure after intervention surgery

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Surgical Innovation
• Cardiovascular Interventions

Background:

• Effective sealing of puncture sites after interventional surgery is critical.
• Large-diameter sheaths and transapical punctures pose significant closure challenges, often leading to high failure rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel water-activated tissue adhesive patch (WAP) for robust vascular and cardiac wound closure.
• To assess the adhesion strength, biosafety, and hemostatic capabilities of the WAP in preclinical models.

Main Methods:

• Development of a WAP comprising a polyethylene glycol (PEG) derivative coating and a gelatin sponge.
• Evaluation of WAP adhesion, burst pressure resistance (>300 mmHg), and biosafety.
• In vivo testing in porcine models for heart stab wounds, femoral artery punctures (14 Fr), and abdominal aorta punctures (20 Fr).

Main Results:

• The WAP demonstrated rapid water absorption, dissolution, crosslinking, and strong adhesion to tissue surfaces.
• Effective wound closure and rapid hemostasis were achieved through simple adhesion in all tested porcine models.
• Favorable postoperative wound healing was observed during follow-up evaluations.

Conclusions:

• The water-activated tissue adhesive patch (WAP) provides a safe and effective method for sealing challenging vascular and cardiac puncture sites.
• The WAP shows significant potential as a next-generation closure device for interventional procedures, particularly when used with a suitable delivery system.