Medical devices and human tissues differ significantly in their composition. While medical devices are primarily constructed from hard materials like metal and plastic, human tissue is soft and moist. This disparity creates a pressing need for adhesives that are soft and wet, similar to human tissues, to better bond medical devices with tissues. Improved adhesives designed to work more effectively with the body could have a profound impact on healthcare, enhancing patient outcomes and quality of life. Now, a new class of medical adhesives combining hydrogels with glue-like polymers could allow for the safe and reliable attachment of therapeutic devices to human tissues, such as pacemakers, insulin pumps, and artificial joints.

Hydrogels are materials made from water and polymer networks, which consist of large molecules. Examples of hydrogels include wound dressings, contact lenses, and absorbent materials in diapers. Hydrogel-based bioadhesives have been used primarily in emergency medicine for temporary applications like closing wounds, sealing tissues, and patching injuries. However, they are not ideal for long-term use, particularly for implantable devices, because they lack the strength and stability required to maintain adhesion over time while also matching the mechanical properties of human tissues. Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI, Worcester, MA, USA) and Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA, USA) are working together on a five-year project aimed at creating bioadhesives capable of providing strong, stable adhesion that meets the mechanical demands of biological tissues.

WPI's role involves developing bioadhesives with a two-layer system: a transparent solid hydrogel layer and a clear liquid adhesive layer. These bioadhesives will be tailored to match the mechanical properties of specific tissues and include polymers that can integrate with human tissues. The goal is to create hydrogel-polymer bioadhesives that deliver quick, strong, stable, and deep adhesion within the body. Additionally, researchers from WPI and Massachusetts General Hospital will collaborate on the development of a hydrogel heart patch loaded with medication aimed at treating atrial fibrillation, a condition characterized by irregular heartbeats.

“There are many potential applications for new bioadhesives,” said WPI researcher Jiawei Yang who is creating the bioadhesives. “They might be used to pair with electrodes that are implanted in the body to treat Parkinson’s disease or manage and treat heart failure. They also could be combined with therapeutic agents to heal damaged cartilage or generate healthy new tissues.” 

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