Many operations require doctors to join pieces of tissue, the soft material that makes up parts of the body. Doctors usually use stitches or staples, but small mistakes can cause dangerous leaks. These methods can also damage tissue or lead to infection. SanaHeal, a company that grew out of MIT research, is developing a sticky material to offer another option.
The material attaches quickly to wet, uneven tissue and creates a seal that blocks air and liquids. It is based on a hydrogel, a soft material made from polymers and water. Early versions worked like double-sided tape: they absorbed water from tissue and stuck within seconds. Sticky materials found in nature, including spider webs, helped inspire the technology.
SanaHeal's technology already has regulatory approval to stop bleeding from injuries. Next year, it will enter human trials to help control bleeding during operations and repair injured tissue. The company works with larger medical device businesses to develop products for different surgical uses. These partnerships allow SanaHeal to pursue more applications than it could develop alone.
