Novel gelatin-alginate surgical sealants loaded with hemostatic agents

Surgical sealants are an integral part of the surgical toolbox. They are used mainly to seal tissues or suture lines. In the current research, we examined a novel surgical sealant based on the natural polymers gelatin and alginate, crosslinked with carbodiimide and loaded with hemostatic agents. Incorporation of the hemostatic agent montmorillonite significantly improved the ex vivo burst strength and the other physical properties (swelling ratio, weight loss, curing time, and viscosity) of the basic surgical sealant, due to the formation of nanocomposite structure. This novel system presents a new approach for improving the physical properties of surgical sealants.