A bioabsorbable adhesive wrap for sutureless arterial repair: Initial development and preclinical testing in a rat model.

Abstract

Traumatic arterial injuries are life-threatening if not surgically repaired. However, traditional suture repair can be complex, skill-dependent, time-consuming, and result in complications such as bleeding, aneurysm, occlusion, and stenosis. We present a novel bioabsorbable adhesive wrap that seals arterial defects after traumatic injury, provides mechanical support during healing, and uses materials that degrade into nontoxic byproducts. The wrap consists of a hydrogel patch to cover the defect, a rapidly UV-curable bioadhesive, and a U-shaped mold to localize the adhesive before curing. Mechanical performance was evaluated in polymer tubing and ex vivo porcine carotid arteries with ~2 mm defects. The wrap was also tested in vivo in a rat carotid artery injury model and studied for up to 4 weeks. Doppler ultrasound was used to monitor vascular patency and function over time. After 4 weeks, the wrapped vessel underwent histologic analysis to evaluate for inflammation and stenosis. The brain and liver were also analyzed for evidence of thromboembolism and toxicity. The adhesive wrap sealed arterial defects in <5 minutes without sutures. Mechanical testing demonstrated that the wrap was able to withstand pressure 10 times that of typical arterial pressures (Burst pressure: 1,017 ± 493 mm Hg, mean ± standard deviation, n=10). In the long-term in vivo rat cohort, there was an 87.5% survival rate. One early subject rat (12.5%) was euthanized due to a bleeding event before protocol optimization. Normal triphasic Doppler arterial flow was maintained in all rats. Partial stenosis developed in 25%, but no complete occlusion, thromboembolism, or organ toxicity was observed. The bioabsorbable adhesive wrap enables rapid, suture-free repair of arteries with strong mechanical sealing and excellent biocompatibility. This technology is a promising solution that may improve hemorrhage control in vascular trauma, especially in settings without specialized vascular surgery expertise. Further testing in large-animal models is warranted. (J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2026;00:00-00. Copyright © 2026 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.). Laboratory and animal research.