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In This Issue:
Nasim Annabi, PhD, Division of Biomedical Engineering, BWH Department of Medicine
What is your research project about?
There are approximately 114 million surgical and procedure-based wounds that occur annually worldwide, including 36 million from surgeries in the U.S. After an operation, wounds are often closed using sutures, staples or surgical meshes. However, there remains a void in surgical sealants that can immediately seal wounds to stop body fluid leakage, such as those that occur with vascular surgeries.
We are developing a stretchy surgical glue and sealant made from a human protein called tropoelastin. We can alter this protein to make a highly elastic and light-activated glue, which can be formed in a few seconds by shining light on it. This glue can be used to seal air and body fluid leakages after surgical procedures.
For example, after removing diseased tissue or a foreign object from the body, a surgeon can apply the glue to seal or reconnect healthy tissues. The glue sticks well to different tissues such as lung and heart tissue, and it moves with the tissues as they continually expand and contract. The glue also is biocompatible, since it is made of human protein and can naturally break down in the body over time.
What is a unique aspect of your research project?
Our glue is unique because it is elastic and nontoxic, binds strongly to tissue, and works well in wet and highly dynamic environments, such as a beating heart. One of the most interesting properties of the sealant is that it is very sticky and stretchy. Therefore, it can help tissues maintain proper movement and function after sealing because it can easily move with the tissues. Also, our sealant provides the advantage of being made at the wound site, giving the surgeon the ability to place the glue exactly where they want it before forming it with light.
How will your research project benefit people?
Our research will be of great benefit to patients undergoing surgery. The glue can be used in complicated cases, such as for patients suffering from an air leakage after lung surgery, or patients undergoing surgeries that require connecting blood vessels. These surgical procedures are difficult, as current methods such as suturing or stapling are either not possible or extremely challenging and time-consuming. Having a glue that can be applied to the target site easily and quickly can allow for shorter surgical times, leading to less complications and infections.
This glue may one day replace suturing altogether, which would be a transformative change in medicine. Additionally, it can be used during minimally invasive surgeries where it can be delivered through a small needle and cured in seconds, thereby reducing operating time and improving outcomes.