TAGS: Sealants Acrylic Adhesives
Empa or the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology researchers have developed a new polymer patch for the intestine that can be used to stably bond and seal internal injuries and thus prevents dangerous leaks.
Currently, patches made from biodegradable proteins are primarily intended to support the healing process. They dissolve too fast when in contact with digestive juices and don't always hold tight. "Leaks after abdominal surgery are still one of the most feared complications today," explains Empa researcher Inge Herrmann, who is also a professor for nanoparticulate systems at ETH Zurich.
New Patch Resistant to Digestive Juices & Hydrophobicity
The team led by Herrmann and Alexandre Anthis from Empa's Particles-Biology Interactions lab in St. Gallen, therefore, joined forces with Andrea Schlegel, a surgeon at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Birmingham, to search for a material that could reliably seal intestinal injuries and surgical wounds.
They found a synthetic composite material consisting of four acrylic substances that, together, form a chemically stable hydrogel. What's more, the patch actively cross-links with the intestinal tissue until no more fluid can pass through. The researchers have already successfully patented this novel technology. The quadriga of acrylic acid, methyl acylate, acrylamide, and bis-acrylamide works in perfect synergy, as each component conveys a specific feature to the final product: a stable bond to the mucosa, the formation of networks, resistance to digestive juices, and hydrophobicity.
Tailor-made Patches
In lab experiments, the researchers showed that the polymer system met their expectations.
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Adhesion is up to ten times higher than with conventional adhesive materials," said Empa researcher Anthis. "
Further analysis also showed that our hydrogel can withstand five times the maximum pressure load in the intestine," added Anthis.
And in the material's design lies its tailored effect: The rubbery composite selectively reacts with digestive juices that might leak through intestinal wounds, expands, and closes all the more tightly. The inexpensive, biocompatible super glue, which consists largely of water, could thus shorten hospital stays and save healthcare costs. Alexandre Anthis is thus already planning the next steps towards clinical application of the new wound plaster: "
We are in the process of founding a start-up company to bring this innovative material to the market," said Anthis.
Source: Empa