Work

Optimized Damage-Control Hydrogel for Wound and Organ Management in Emergency Abdominal Trauma

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Abdominal trauma is a leading cause of preventable mortality during war, accidents and natural disasters, particularly due to uncontrolled hemorrhage and subsequent infection risks. While traditional hemostatic materials (e.g., gauze, sealants) provide temporary bleeding control, they usually fail to address critical challenges including non-compressible wounds, bacterial colonization, and secondary tissue damage during removal. To overcome these limitations, herein, we developed a bioinspired multi-functional hydrogel system through molecular engineering of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) and oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHA). The CMCS component was quaternized with glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride to establish cationic charge-mediated hemostasis, achieving 6.17 times less blood loss and 3.53 times faster clotting time compared to the commercial gelatin hemostatic sponge. Concurrently, dopamine-grafted OHA (OHA-Dop) demonstrated robust wet tissue adhesion through synergistic catechol coordination and Schiff base formation. Systematic evaluation revealed exceptional antibacterial efficacy (>99% reduction against E. coli and S. aureus) and rapid hemorrhage control in rat liver laceration models. Notably, the hydrogel promoted tissue healing by creating a favorable microenvironment, as well as activating the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathways. This multifunctional design bridges the critical gap between emergency hemostasis and infection prevention, offering a theoretically translatable solution for managing complex abdominal trauma.

Source: Biomacromolecules

DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.5c01402