Researchers have created a light-activated tissue adhesive patch for rapid, watertight neurosurgical sealing.
The team at Pusan National University in South Korea engineered an innovative dural patch that provides rapid, watertight sealing of dural tears and demonstrates high biocompatibility.
Durotomy is a common neurosurgical complication involving a tear in the dura mater, the protective membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Damage can cause cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, leading to delayed healing, headaches, and infection, making a reliable watertight dural closure essential.
Tissue adhesives are increasingly being explored as alternatives to suturing for dural closure because they offer simpler, faster application.
However, many existing glue-based sealants exhibit excessive swelling, causing mass effect and unwanted tissue adhesion, which can lead to postoperative complications.
To address these limitations, researchers have investigated Janus tissue patches, which feature two distinct surfaces – one that adheres strongly to tissue and another that prevents unwanted adhesion.
Unfortunately, most existing Janus patches rely on multiple materials and complex, multi-step fabrication processes, limiting their practical use.
In a breakthrough study, the research team led by Professor Seung Yun Yang from the Department of Biomaterials Science at Pusan National University developed an innovative light-responsive, monolithic Janus dural patch using photocurable hyaluronic acid (HA) through a simple approach.
Professor Yang said: ‘Made from natural biopolymer hyaluronic acid, our dural patch provides strong wet adhesion, along with a lubricating surface that prevents unwanted tissue adhesion, after exposure to non-toxic visible light.’
Laboratory tests showed that the patch could fully seal the wounds within five seconds using low-energy visible light.
The dense outer surface exhibited strong wet adhesion, achieving high burst pressure and approximately 50% lower friction than conventional dural sealants.
Notably, the adhesion strength was up to ten times higher than that of commercially available tissue adhesives.
Meanwhile, the porous surface efficiently absorbed fluids and helped prevent unintended tissue adhesion.
Non-clinical studies are expected to conclude in the first half of 2026, with a medical device clinical trial application to South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety planned for the same year.
The study was published in the Chemical Engineering Journal.
