Nanoengineered Shear-Thinning Hydrogel Barrier for Preventing Postoperative Abdominal Adhesions

More than 90% of surgical patients develop postoper-ative adhesions, and the incidence of hospital re-admissions can be as high as 20%. Current adhesion barriers present limited efficacy due to difficulties in application and incompatibility with minimally invasive interventions. To solve thisclinical limitation, we developed an injectable and sprayable shear-thinning hydrogel barrier(STHB) composed of silicate nanoplatelets and poly(ethylene oxide). We optimized this technology to recover mechanical integrity after stress, enabling its delivery though inject-able and sprayable methods. We also demonstrated limited cell adhesion and cytotoxicity to STHB compositions in vitro. The STHB was then tested in a rodent model of peritoneal injury to determine its e cacy preventing the formation of postoperative adhesions. After two weeks, the peritoneal adhesion index was used as a scoring method to determine the formation of postoperative adhesions, and STHB formulations presented superior e cacy compared to a commercially available adhesion barrier. Histological and immunohistochemical examination showed reduced adhesion formation and minimal immune infiltration in STHB formulations. Our technology demonstrated increased e cacy, ease of use in complex anatomies, and compatibility with di erent delivery methods, providing a robust universal platform to prevent postoperative adhesions in a wide range of surgical interventions.