Thermoresponsive sealant for temporary closure of ocular trauma
Traumatic eye injuries require rapid treatment to prevent deterioration of vision. As an alternative to suturing or adhesives, researchers developed a temperature-responsive synthetic hydrogel that acts as a temporary sealant.
Testing the hydrogel in a model of open globe injury in rabbits showed that the sealant was easily deployed from a custom-designed temperature-controlled syringe device and preserved intraocular pressure without evidence of chronic inflammation or toxicity.
Removal with cold water
After gelation, the sealant could be removed by exposure to cold water. In combat or low-resource settings, it could close wounds temporarily to prevent further tissue damage or vision loss before surgery. The smart hydrogel sealant consists of physically cross-linked N-isopropylacrylamide copolymerised with butylacrylate. At low temperatures, it can be injected as a liquid, and when raised to body temperature, a heat-induced gelation converts the hydrogel into a solidified occlusion.
The study is published in: Science Translational Medicine, Vol 9, Issue 419, December 6, 2017.
