Preparation and characterization of hydrogel tissue adhesives containing hyluronic acid and alginate

Traumatic injuries and uncontrolled, intense bleeding caused by surgery remain among today's leading medical problems. Traumatic wounds are not only observed on the skin but also result from internal organ ruptures caused by explosions and firearms. At this point, severe hemorrhaging can lead to hypothermia, hemorrhagic shock, organ failure, and even death due to the loss of more than 40% of blood volume. Therefore, it is crucial to halt bleeding rapidly. Considering the serious consequences of tissue damage, tissue engineering has emerged as a promising field to repair dysfunctional or damaged tissues and improve life expectancy. Within this context, numerous studies have been conducted on the preparation of various biomaterials to date. However, there hasn't yet been a biomaterial that is compatible with wet tissues and supports both angiogenesis and platelet aggregation. In this thesis, an alginate derivative that supports platelet aggregation and a hyaluronic acid derivative that adheres to wet tissues and induces angiogenesis, thereby promoting vascularization, have been prepared. The derivatives of alginate and hyaluronic acid were subjected to free radical photopolymerization, allowing them to crosslink in the presence of visible light. The study aims to introduce a new biomaterial featuring sodium alginate and hyaluronic acid groups that demonstrates good mechanical strength, a high swelling capacity to stabilize bleeding in the environment, and effective hemostatic properties. This development could help prevent bleeding-related deaths, which have a significant impact worldwide. The chemical characterization of biopolymers was analyzed using FTIR and NMR techniques. The mechanical properties, swelling, and degradation behaviors of hybrid hydrogels, which can be cross-linked with visible light, were examined. The biocompatibility of the prepared hybrid hydrogels was assessed through MTT and scratch wound assays.