Injectable Viscous Hydrogel Stops Uncontrolled Bleeding

A new study describes a novel embolic agent for endovascular embolization procedures that has a hemostatic activity comparable to that of metallic coils, the current gold standard.

Developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT; Cambridge, MA, USA), Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, MA, USA), Harvard Medical School (HMS; Boston, MA, USA), and other institutions, the shear-thinning biomaterial (STB) is made up of a nanocomposite hydrogel that also contains gelatin and silicate nanoplatelets.


The nanocomposite STBs are injected through clinical catheters and needles in a viscous, toothpaste-like consistency. Once in place, the biomaterial expands and hardens, fully occluding the vasculature. It subsequently remains at the site of injection (without fragmentation) until it undergoes natural degradation over time. Advantages include rapid delivery, in vivo stability, and independent occlusion that do not rely on intrinsic thrombosis. The study was published on November 16, 2016, in Science Translational Medicine.

“Current therapies that try to occlude blood vessels and stop bleeding in cases of internal bleeding do not work for a major segment of population that are on anticoagulant medication, or have disorders which prevents their blood from clotting,” said Professor Ali Khademhosseini, PhD, of HMS and Brigham and Women's Hospital. “Our material provides a solution to this issue, and allows for a new standard of care that replaces metallic coils, which are expensive and complicated to use.”

Endovascular embolization of damaged blood vessels can generate better patient outcomes and minimize the need for repeat procedures. However, many embolic materials, such as metallic coils or liquid agents, are associated with limitations and complications such as breakthrough bleeding, coil migration, coil compaction, recanalization, adhesion of the catheter to the embolic agent, or toxicity.

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School