Biodegradable alginate-based sponge with antibacterial and shape memory properties for penetrating wound hemostasis

Massive bleeding from deep penetrating wounds and bacterial infections are serious challenges for clinical and outdoor wound management. In this study, different molar ratios of chitosan (CS) and dopamine (DA) were covalently combined with sodium alginate (SA) through EDC/NHS to form complexes. Then, the cross-linking reaction was performed to form a sponge by adding sodium periodate. The CS3/SA/DA(1) compress sponge has rapid blood-triggered recovery properties that can quickly expand to block wounds and prevent bleeding. The CS3/SA/DA(1) has better coagulation ability than commercial gelatin sponges and gauze in a mouse liver injury/leg vein model and lethal incompressible hemorrhage model of a rabbit liver defect. The outstanding advantages of CS3/SA/DA(1) in degradation performance, antibacterial properties, antioxidation, hemocompatibility, cytocompatibility and histocompatibility present great application prospects in incompressible wound hemostasis.