Shape-adaptive composite foams with high expansion and absorption used for massive hemorrhage control and irregular wound treatment

Abstract

Effective bleeding control is becoming more and more important in the military field and civilian trauma arena. However, traditional hemostats present limitations, they have been proven to be less useful for irregular, deep or penetrating wounds with uncontrollable hemorrhage caused by minor-caliber weapons, shrapnel or explosive devices. Here, a series of porous polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/alginate composite foams (PACFs) were prepared through crosslinking reaction and lyophilization process. The effect of different content of alginate on the physicochemical properties and hemostatic function of the PACF were evaluated. The results demonstrated that PACF could not only rapidly absorb plasma, but also stimulate blood cells, thus further promoting blood coagulation. In addition, the PACF with higher alginate content showed increased capability to enhance thrombus generation, blood clotting, and blood cells adhesion and aggregation. More importantly, the PACF exhibited over 2000% volume expansion, high flexibility and shape-adaptive ability, and could therefore expand to entirely fill and conform to the shape of wound cavity. The in vivo hemostatic tests further demonstrate the high hemostatic efficiency of PACF. These results suggest that PACF has strong potential as a hemostatic material to be applied for massive hemorrhage control and deep/irregular wounds treatment.