Developing a hemostatic sponge that can effectively control
bleeding
from visceral injuries while guiding in situ tissue regeneration in
incompressible wounds remains a challenge. Most of the existing hemostatic
sponges degrade slowly, are relatively single-functioning, and cannot
cope with complex environments. Herein, a biodegradable rapidly hemostatic
sponge (GPZ) was created by dual-dynamic-bond cross-linking among
Zn2+, protocatechualdehyde (PA)-containing catechol and
aldehyde groups, and gelatin. GPZ had a uniformly distributed interconnected
pore structure with excellent fluid absorption. It could effectively
absorb the oozing blood and increase the blood concentration while
stimulating platelet activation and accelerating blood coagulation.
Compared to commercial hemostats, GPZ treatment significantly accelerated
hemostasis in the rat liver defect model (∼0.33 min, ≥50%
reduction in the hemostatic time) and in the rabbit liver defect model
(∼1.02 min, ≥60% reduction in the hemostatic time).
Additionally, GPZ had excellent antibacterial and antioxidant properties
that effectively protected the wound from infection and excessive
inflammation. In the liver regeneration model, GPZ significantly increased
the rate of hepatic tissue repair and promoted rapid functional recovery
without complications and adverse reactions. Overall, we designed
a simple and effective biodegradable rapid hemostatic sponge with
good clinical translational potential for treating lethal incompressible
bleeding and promoting wound healing.