Tissue adhesive hemostatic microneedle arrays for rapid hemorrhage treatment

Blood loss by hemorrhaging wounds accounts for over one-third of-5 million trauma fatalities worldwide every year. If not controlled in a timely manner, exsanguination can take lives within a few minutes. Developing new biomaterials that are easy to use by non-expert patients and promote rapid blood coagulation is an unmet medical need. Here, biocompatible, and biodegradable microneedle arrays (MNAs) based on gelatin meth-acryloyl (GelMA) biomaterial hybridized with silicate nanoplatelets (SNs) are developed for hemorrhage control. The SNs render the MNAs hemostatic, while the needle-shaped structure increases the contact area with blood, synergistically accelerating the clotting time from 11.5 min to 1.3 min in vitro. The engineered MNAs reduce bleeding by-92% compared with the untreated injury group in a rat liver bleeding model. SN-containing MNAs outperform the hemostatic effect of needle-free patches and a commercial hemostat in vivo via combining micro-and nanoengineered features. Furthermore, the tissue adhesive properties and mechanical interlocking support the suitability of MNAs for wound closure applications. These hemostatic MNAs may enable rapid hemorrhage control, particularly for patients in developing countries or remote areas with limited or no immediate access to hospitals.

Automated summary

Blood loss from hemorrhaging wounds is a major cause of trauma fatalities, resulting in millions of deaths each year. This study developed biocompatible and biodegradable microneedle arrays (MNAs) that promote rapid blood coagulation for hemorrhage control. By combining gelatin meth-acryloyl (GelMA) biomaterial with silicate nanoplatelets (SNs), these MNAs effectively reduced bleeding by 92% compared to untreated injuries in a rat liver bleeding model. The micro and nanoengineering features of the SN-containing MNAs outperformed needle-free patches and a commercial hemostat, making them suitable for rapid hemorrhage control.