Polysaccharides based rapid self-crosslinking and wet tissue adhesive hemostatic powders for effective hemostasis

Abstract

Hemostatic powders with flexible shape are widely used for the noncompressible and inaccessible hemorrhage wounds. However, current hemostatic powders display poor wet tissue adhesion and fragile mechanical strength of the powder-supported blood clots, leading to compromised hemostasis efficacy. Herein, a bi-component of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) and aldehyde-modified hyaluronic acid grafted with catechol groups (COHA) was designed. Upon absorption of blood, the bi-component powders (CMCS-COHA) spontaneously self-crosslinks into an adhesive hydrogel within 10 s, tightly adhering to wound tissue to form a pressure-resistant physical barrier. During gelation, the hydrogel matrix captures and locks the blood cells/platelets to generate a robust thrombus in the bleeding sites. Compared with traditional hemostatic powder Celox™, CMCS-COHA displays superior blood coagulation and hemostatic performance. More importantly, CMCS-COHA has inherent cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility. These prominent advantages in rapid and effective hemostasis, adaptability to fit irregulate defective wound, easy preservation, facile usage, and bio-safety, make CMCS-COHA a promising hemostatic in emergency situations.

Keywords: Carboxymethyl chitosan; Hemostatic powder; Hyaluronic acid; Self-crosslinking; Wet adhesion.