New biorubber glue can bond blood vessels, close wounds

Materials scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore have invented a new type of surgical glue that can bond blood vessels and close wounds, even when their surfaces are wet.
Named CaproGlu, it is activated by a low dose of ultraviolet light that cures it in seconds, turning it from a liquid glue into a solid but flexible biorubber – a biocompatible material that can be resorbed by the tissue after a few weeks.
Unlike current bio-adhesives – which need two chemicals to be mixed prior to use – the CaproGlu is a one-pot liquid gel solution that comes ready-to-use.
In a study published in Biomaterials in July they showed in animal experiments that blood vessels can be rejoined with just four stitches and a mesh wrapper dipped in CaproGlu, compared to the usual eight stitches that are required for a reliable and unobstructed join. The authors estimate that this will reduce surgery time by 25 per cent, as surgeons spend less time and effort stitching up blood vessels and tissues.
They also showed that CaproGlu can also be used to deliver local anaesthetics or pain relief medication to tissues in the body, which may be useful both during and post operation.
The adhesion strength of CaproGlu was compared to other commercial bioadhesives on the market and was found to be three to seven times stronger, and is on a par with the shear strength of collagen and muscle tissue found in the human body.
CaproGlu combines two ingredients into a single-component formulation that does not require additives. The first is polycaprolactone – a biodegradable polymer which has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for specific applications used in the human body – and the second: diazirine, a light-sensitive molecule that can form strong bonds when activated.
The research team have filed for a provisional patent for the biorubber glue.

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