Porous oxidized dextran sponges for surgical hemostasis and infection control

Surgical procedures frequently result in varying degrees of bleeding and infection, which can impede patient recovery, particularly in situations of limited blood supply. Minimizing surgical blood loss and preventing infections remain crucial clinical challenges. To address these tissues, we developed a porous hemostatic sponge by aldehyde-functionalizing dextran. The high porosity and blood absorption capacity of ODex sponges enables them to effectively concentrate red blood cells, platelets, and coagulation factors, forming a blood clot together with the sponge matrix. The aldehyde groups bind to the amines in the tissue, helping to seal the bleeding site. This innovation significantly reduced clotting times in both in <i>vitro</i> and in <i>vivo</i> experiments. Furthermore, the sponge demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and potent antimicrobial activity. These findings highlight oxidized dextran as a highly promising hemostatic biomaterial with strong antimicrobial capabilities, offering the potential for broad clinical applications.