In the US, secondary, uncontrolled bleeding from traumatic injury is the leading cause of death from ages one to 46. Amir Sheikhi, assistant professor of chemical engineering and of biomedical engineering at Penn State, has a plan to change that with a novel microneedle patch that can immediately stop bleeding after injury.
He described his technology in a new paper in the journal Bioactive Materials.
“Excessive bleeding is a serious challenge for human health,” Sheikhi said. “With haemorrhaging injuries, it is often the loss of blood – not the injury itself – that causes death. There is an unmet medical need for ready-to-use biomaterials that promote rapid blood coagulation.”
Sheikhi’s haemostatic microneedle technology can be applied like a typical adhesive bandage to quickly stop bleeding. The biocompatible and biodegradable microneedle arrays (MNAs) on the patch increase its surface contact with blood, accelerating the clotting process. The needles also increase the adhesive properties of the patch via mechanical interlocking to promote wound closure.
“In vitro, the engineered MNAs reduced clotting time from 11.5 minutes to 1.3 minutes; and in a rat liver bleeding model, they reduced bleeding by more than 90%,” Sheikhi said. “Those 10 minutes could be the difference between life and death.”
The MNA patch is comparable hydrogel technology that is currently used to treat bleeding wounds in hospitals, but hydrogel applications require preparation and medical expertise. The microneedle patch is pre-engineered for immediate application that anyone can use to stop bleeding, Sheikhi said, much like a typical over-the-counter adhesive bandage.
Microneedles – which are already in use to deliver biologics, such as cells or drugs, through the skin or for cosmetic procedures to stimulate collagen production – are tiny, making their application pain-free, according to Sheikhi.
The researchers are now working to commercialise the patch, with more testing plans.
Source: Penn State
