Preventing post-surgical cardiac adhesions with a catechol-functionalized oxime hydrogel

Masaki Fujita, Gina M. Policastro, Austin Burdick, Hillary T. Lam, Jessica L. Ungerleider, Rebecca L. Braden, Diane Huang, Kent G. Osborn, Jeffrey H. Omens, Michael M. Madani and Karen L. Christman ()
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Masaki Fujita: University of California, San Diego
Gina M. Policastro: University of California, San Diego
Austin Burdick: University of California, San Diego
Hillary T. Lam: University of California, San Diego
Jessica L. Ungerleider: University of California, San Diego
Rebecca L. Braden: University of California, San Diego
Diane Huang: University of California, San Diego
Kent G. Osborn: University of California, San Diego
Jeffrey H. Omens: University of California, San Diego
Michael M. Madani: University of California, San Diego
Karen L. Christman: University of California, San Diego

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Post-surgical cardiac adhesions represent a significant problem during routine cardiothoracic procedures. This fibrous tissue can impair heart function and inhibit surgical access in reoperation procedures. Here, we propose a hydrogel barrier composed of oxime crosslinked poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with the inclusion of a catechol (Cat) group to improve retention on the heart for pericardial adhesion prevention. This three component system is comprised of aldehyde (Ald), aminooxy (AO), and Cat functionalized PEG mixed to form the final gel (Ald-AO-Cat). Ald-AO-Cat has favorable mechanical properties, degradation kinetics, and minimal swelling, as well as superior tissue retention compared to an initial Ald-AO gel formulation. We show that the material is cytocompatible, resists cell adhesion, and led to a reduction in the severity of adhesions in an in vivo rat model. We further show feasibility in a pilot porcine study. The Ald-AO-Cat hydrogel barrier may therefore serve as a promising solution for preventing post-surgical cardiac adhesions.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24104-w

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