Injectable Hydrogel Particles Developed to Reduce Bleeding in Infants During Surgeries

A biomedical research team has successfully developed an injectable microgel material designed to help reduce bleeding in infants undergoing surgical procedures, marking a potential advancement in improving the safety of neonatal medical care.

According to experimental results published in specialized scientific research, these hydrogel particles helped reduce blood loss by at least 50% in animal models, demonstrating their ability to enhance blood clotting efficiency in infants.

Controlling bleeding in infants remains a medical challenge, as their blood clotting mechanisms differ from those of adults. This difference can complicate surgical procedures. Typically, blood lost during operations is replaced with transfusions from adult donors; however, this approach may carry risks due to the physiological differences between adult and infant blood.

One of the participating researchers explained that transfusing adult blood into infants may increase the likelihood of unwanted clot formation, which could lead to serious health complications, such as blood clots forming in sensitive areas of the body, including the lungs.

In response to these challenges, the research team aimed to develop a therapeutic intervention that could reduce bleeding while also minimizing the need for blood transfusions during surgery, particularly in newborns.

The study focused on developing particles known as BK-TriG microgels, which are engineered materials containing specific peptides that enhance blood clotting. These particles function by absorbing water and transforming into soft hydrogels that mimic the mechanical properties of natural platelets, helping support the formation of fibrin networks responsible for stopping bleeding.

Results showed that these particles were more effective in improving blood clotting in infant plasma compared to adult plasma, aligning with the intended purpose of their design.

The material was also tested on genetically modified animal models that do not produce fibrinogen, the precursor to fibrin. This allowed researchers to introduce infant-derived fibrinogen into the models, enabling them to simulate a clotting process similar to that observed in infants.

The findings revealed that BK-TriGs significantly outperformed other tested options in reducing blood loss, achieving a reduction of approximately 50–60% compared to control groups.

Researchers hope this technology will pave the way for safer and more effective methods to control bleeding in infants during surgical procedures, reducing reliance on external blood transfusions and ultimately improving the quality of pediatric healthcare.