A kaolin/calcium incorporated shape memory and antimicrobial chitosan-dextran based cryogel as an efficient haemostatic dressing for uncontrolled hemorrhagic wounds

Abstract

Increased mortalities associated with uncontrolled and excessive bleeding is still of paramount concern in the clinics, caregivers and military medics. Herein, we designed a shape memory cryogel based on chitosan (C) and functionalized-dextran (D), incorporated with Kaolin (K) and calcium (Ca2+) as haemostatic agents. The developed cryogel (CDKCa) exhibits a uniform interconnected porous architecture with profound fluid absorption ability, rapid blood clotting, stable clot formation and good antibacterial activity. The CDKCa elucidates significantly less clotting time (~30 s; in-vitro) and increased aggregation and activation of platelets/red blood cells in comparison to the control groups and commercial dressings (Axiostat and QuikClot). The developed CDKCa also significantly reduced the aPTT and PT values by ~58 % and 31 % respectively, leading to the activation of intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation cascades. The CDKCa cryogel displays enhanced mechanical stability, flexibility and a good shape memory, a property quintessential to cease uncontrolled bleeding in irregular and non-compressible wounds. Further, the Kaolin and Ca2+ incorporated shape memory CDKCa cryogel demonstrates a rapid blood coagulation and stable clot formation in different compressible and non-compressible rat liver and femur hemorrhagic models. In summary, the endorsed results of CDKCa suggest that the design, fabrication and excellent clotting ability may attribute to high haemostatic efficiency of CDKCa dressing and have a great potential to prevent uncontrollable hemorrhages.