Multifunctional Swellable Polymeric Aerogel with Thrombin and Maxpower for Rapid Hemostasis and Antibacterial Protection in Gastrointestinal Trauma

Abstract

Uncontrolled deep arterial bleeding and perforated wounds in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract present significant clinical challenges, especially in emergency settings. In this study, a multifunctional polymeric aerogel (CPP), composed of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), is developed to address the dual needs of rapid hemostasis and infection prevention. The CPP aerogel exhibits excellent swelling behavior, enabling rapid blood absorption and mechanical expansion to establish a physical barrier. Thrombin incorporation significantly accelerates the coagulation cascade, achieving a blood clotting index of 4.94 ± 1.06% in vitro (150 s). In a rabbit model of gastric perforation, thrombin-loaded CPP aerogel reduces hemostasis time to 52.33 ± 11.06 s and minimizes blood loss to 280.54 ± 40.18 mg. Furthermore, loading the aerogel with Maxpower biological antibacterial liquid (Maxpower) enhances antimicrobial efficacy against both Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), surpassing the performance of the antibacterial solution alone. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the CPP and its drug-loaded aerogels serve as a robust, synergistic platform combining mechanical sealing, biochemical hemostasis, and localized antimicrobial protection, with high potential for clinical translation in GI trauma and surgical applications.