New Western innovation gels engineering with medicine

Photo by Vidal Balielo Jr. (Pexels) - Western biomaterials expert Kibret Mequanint - in partnership with Malcolm Xing from the University of Manitoba - has developed the first-ever hydrophobic (water-hating) fluid, which displaces body fluids surrounding an injury allowing for near-instantaneous gelling, sealing and healing of injured tissue. "Tissue adhesives that can perform in the presence of blood, water and other proteins in the body are the holy grail for instant wound closure and hemostasis, especially when time is critical in rescue operations and emergency responses," said Mequanint, a Western chemical and biochemical engineering professor. The new 'bio-glue,' revealed today in the high-impact journal Science Advances , has the capability to replace and revolutionize tissue adhesives (like fibrin glue) currently utilized in clinical settings, triage situations and mass casualty incidents. "Fibrin glue, and the like, often fail to displace fluids around an injury," said Mequanint. "This failure means (current tissue adhesives) never strongly adhere to the wound and often detach within the first hour or two." Tissue adhesive washout and detachment are major issues for medical practitioners and may prove fatal for patients, especially when the separation happens in vital organs like the lungs, liver and the heart. These organs - even when healthy - undergo frequent movement (contractions and relaxations) due to physiological needs, which cause additional strain on tissue adhesives.