Stimuli-Responsive Micro-Hydrogel Film for Postsurgical Adhesion Barriers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical procedures often result in tissue adhesions, leading to complications such as small bowel obstruction, infertility, and chronic pain, for which existing hydrogel compositions are inadequate in providing effective adhesion prevention.
Innovation Solution
A hydrogel film formed from an extracellular matrix (ECM) digest with a collagen to carbohydrate ratio of at least 70:1, applied as particles or droplets, which gel upon exposure to stimuli to form a barrier with a storage modulus of at least 100 Pa, reducing tissue adhesion and scarring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing hydrogel compositions are used for adhesion prevention, then some level of protection is provided, but they are inadequate in effectively preventing tissue adhesions and providing durable barrier function
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the compositional parameters of the hydrogel by specifying a collagen to carbohydrate ratio of at least 70:1, which is a significant deviation from conventional hydrogel compositions. This parameter change enables the hydrogel to form a more durable and effective adhesion barrier with enhanced mechanical properties and sustained barrier function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite hydrogel material combining collagen and carbohydrates in a specific ratio (at least 70:1). This composite structure leverages the complementary properties of collagen (structural integrity, biocompatibility) and carbohydrates (hydrogel formation, flexibility) to achieve superior adhesion prevention compared to single-component hydrogels.
2Strength
If the hydrogel forms a durable barrier with high storage modulus, then adhesion prevention is improved, but the formulation complexity and manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a specific parameter range for the collagen to carbohydrate ratio (at least 70:1) that optimizes the storage modulus. By defining this parameter range, the patent balances the need for high mechanical strength with the feasibility of manufacturing control, ensuring that the hydrogel achieves sufficient durability without requiring excessive precision that would complicate production.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the hydrogel provides long-term barrier function, then adhesion prevention is improved, but the duration of barrier presence may interfere with normal tissue healing processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the hydrogel barrier as a dynamic structure that adapts its persistence over time. The hydrogel provides sustained protection during the critical early post-surgical period when adhesion formation is most active, then gradually degrades or integrates with the healing tissue. This dynamic behavior allows the barrier to fulfill its protective function while eventually yielding to normal tissue regeneration processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The ECM-based hydrogel effectively inhibits postsurgical adhesions by forming a durable barrier that reduces scarring and maintains tissue integrity, providing a smooth surface for adjacent tissues to glide over, thus minimizing long-term health issues.
Implementation Method 1
wherein the buffer solution promotes a phase change of the pre-gel mixture to a hydrogel
Implementation Method 2
promoting the formation of the hydrogel by increasing a temperature of the pre-gel mixture by presenting the pre-gel mixture to the target tissue at a temperature that is lower than a temperature of the target tissue
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Provided are methods, devices and compositions for reducing and/or inhibiting postsurgical tissue adhesion using a hydrogel film disposed onto a target tissue, thereby providing an adhesion barrier that remains over said target tissue for a prescribed period of time. In some embodiments, the hydrogel film is formed by the gelation of a pre-gel mixture applied onto the target tissue as a plurality of particles having an average maximum dimension, such as diameter, of at most about 500 µm. In some embodiments, the hydrogel film has a minimum storage modulus of 100 Pa. In some embodiments, the pre-gel mixture comprises an ECM digest having a collagen to carbohydrate ratio (by mass) of at least 70:1.