Chitosan-crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol anti-swelling hydrogel designed to prevent abdominal wall adhesion

Mater Today Bio. 2023 Dec 28:24:100931. doi: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100931. eCollection 2024 Feb.

Abstract

Abdominal adhesion is a frequent clinical issue with a high incidence rate and consequences following intra-abdominal surgery. Although many anti-adhesion materials have been used in surgical procedures, additional research is still needed to determine which ones have the most robust wet tissue adhesion, the best anti-postoperative adhesion, and the best anti-inflammatory properties. We have developed an excellent tissue adhesion and anti-swelling polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan hydrogel (AS hydrogel). According to in vitro cell testing, AS hydrogel significantly decreased inflammation around cells and exhibited good biocompatibility. Further, we assessed how well AS hydrogel prevented intraperitoneal adhesion using a rabbit model with cecum and abdominal wall injuries. According to the data, AS hydrogel has excellent anti-inflammatory and biodegradability properties compared to the control group. It can also prevent intestinal and abdominal wall injuries from occurring during surgery. Based on these results, hydrogel appears to be a perfect new material to prevent postoperative abdominal wall adhesion.

Keywords: Anti-adhesion; Biocompatibility; Hydrogel; Postoperative abdominal adhesion.