Researchers have developed a liquid gel that rapidly turns into a sponge-like antimicrobial foam, aimed at stopping severe bleeding and potentially saving lives.
Without timely medical intervention, injuries from car accidents, serious work incidents, or gunshot wounds can lead to life-threatening blood loss.
The University of Central Florida team is working to address this issue with a new hemostatic, sponge-like bandage that has antimicrobial properties, recently detailed in a study published in the journal Biomaterials Science.
“In emergency situations, heavy bleeding can lead to death,” explains Kausik Mukhopadhyay, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at UCF and co-author of the study. “Most fatalities occur within the first 30 minutes to an hour. Our goal was to create a straightforward solution that can provide hemostatic effectiveness in that critical timeframe. If we can stabilize the patient, medical professionals can then take over.”
Chemistry and Mechanisms
The innovative product developed by Mukhopadhyay and his team is named SilFoam, which resembles a foam rather than a conventional bandage. It consists of a liquid gel made from siloxanes (a combination of silicon and oxygen) and is administered using a two-chamber syringe. Upon contact within the wound, it quickly expands into a soft foam in less than a minute. This foam not only applies pressure to stop the bleeding but also acts as an antibacterial agent due to its silver oxide content.
For every five milliliters of gel used, expect it to expand to approximately 35 milliliters, according to Mukhopadhyay.
“In cases of heavy bleeding, you need to apply pressure to stem the flow. We essentially created a method to inject a material that does just that, creating a significant volume to control the bleeding,” he states.
The researchers also noted that this foam allows for gentler removal.
“The bandage’s adhesive properties are fine-tuned, so when it is taken out, it doesn’t rupture smaller blood vessels, while still adhering well enough to larger muscles, veins, and arteries to prevent any leakage,” he elaborates.
The foam’s ability to expand and stick helps it to close the wound, enabling the body’s natural clotting process to take over, Mukhopadhyay explains.
“The reaction generates a small amount of heat, accelerating the process,” he adds. “Additionally, oxygen gas produced during the reaction attempts to escape, resulting in a soft sponge filled with porous structures, rather than a rigid rubber.”
Experimentation and Methods
While investigating wound treatments, it’s crucial to avoid harming test subjects. The researchers overcame this challenge by utilizing functional anatomic models for their tests.
They employed specially designed mannequins that simulate realistic blood vessels and wounds, created by a local firm, SIMETRI, to test SilFoam, hoping for promising early results that would support further studies.
The trials yielded encouraging results, especially when comparing SilFoam to five other existing treatments.
SilFoam demonstrated numerous advantages: less leakage, the ability to be stored at room temperature instead of needing refrigeration, lower material costs, and minimal required training to use the syringe.
Pritha Sarkar, a graduate student at UCF specializing in materials science, contributed to the experiment.
“We needed to evaluate the reactivity of the two components to ensure sufficient oxygen was generated to inflate the sponge without overheating the material,” she explains.
Sarkar also tested the toxicity and durability of the materials to guarantee safety for human use while ensuring they remained strong without being overly stiff.
She focused on making certain that SilFoam could be removed without causing harm to the patient.
“If a bandage is too sticky, it can prevent blood flow initially, but removal may cause tissue damage or discomfort,” Sarkar points out. “Our polymer system doesn’t adhere to skin, making removal a simple process. The dressing can expand to seal the wound effectively but is easy to take off once its job is done.”
Reducing Infections and Next Steps
The antibacterial aspects of this research were developed in collaboration with Melanie Coathup, a professor at UCF College of Medicine and head of the Biionix Cluster.
She and her team work alongside material scientists and mechanical engineers to create innovative medical technologies and treatments.
“Dr. Abi Sindu Pugazhendhi and I collaborated with Dr. Mukhopadhyay to evaluate the effectiveness of his material against bacterial growth,” Coathup shares. “We examined bacteria commonly associated with traumatic torso injuries, and our findings confirmed that the material effectively inhibited bacterial growth, marking a significant discovery in the development of an antimicrobial and hemostatic solution.”
She expressed that the chance to help save lives through this research was highly gratifying.
“Our research is crucial because effective treatments for such conditions are currently lacking, and new approaches are in high demand,” Coathup emphasizes. “Working with Dr. Mukhopadhyay on a pioneering antibacterial sponge capable of providing life-saving treatment for severe injuries has been wonderfully rewarding.”
Mukhopadhyay recently secured a GAP award to assist with the process of licensing SilFoam for use. He mentions that upcoming steps involve teaming up with the University of Nebraska Medical Center to conduct in vivo studies at their facilities.
