Trauma Research
About Our Trauma Translational Research
Wound Stasis
Severe high energy and penetrating trauma can result in acute shock and death. Emergent care at the scene is essential for optimal outcome prior to surgical care, as uncontrolled bleeding can result in death; contamination can result in infection; and inadequate skeletal stabilization of extremity wounds can result in continued soft tissue injury. In some scenarios, such as trauma sustained in military injuries, in rural or wilderness settings, or in any other setting with delayed rescue, emergent surgical care may not be available for hours or at times days after the traumatic event.
To address these scenarios, we have developed a reversible hydrogel-based foam as a portable system for emergent hemostasis of abdominal wounds, local analgesia, disinfection and supplemental soft tissue stabilization will provide better and faster accessibility to initial care at the scene of injury than present standards.
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Burn Dressing
An adhesive yet easily removable burn wound dressing represents a breakthrough in second-degree burn wound care. Current second-degree burn wound dressings absorb wound exudate, reduce bacterial infections, and maintain a moist environment for healing, but are surgically or mechanically debrided from the wound, causing additional trauma to the newly formed tissues. We have developed an on-demand dissolvable dendritic thioester hydrogel burn dressing for second-degree burn care. The hydrogel is composed of a lysine-based dendron and a PEG-based crosslinker, which are synthesized in high yields. The hydrogel burn dressing covers the wound and acts as a barrier to bacterial infection in an in vivo second-degree burn wound model. A unique feature of the hydrogel is its capability to be dissolved on-demand, via a thiol-thioester exchange reaction, allowing for a facile burn dressing removal.
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