HYDROGEL WOUND DRESSING AND BIOMATERIALS FORMED IN SITU AND THEIR USES

摘要

The present invention relates to a method of forming shape-retentive and shape-conforming aggregate wound dressings and biomaterials composed of gel nanoparticles and wound or bodily fluid in which the aggregates are held tog ether by non-covalent bond physical forces such as, without limitation, hydr ophobic-hydrophilic interactions and hydrogen bonds. The method comprises in troducing a dry powder of gel nanoparticles to a wound site in which the nan oparticles absorb some of the blood or wound exudate and coalesce in situ in to the claimed shape-retentive aggregate dressing. The method also comprises introducing the dry nanoparticle powder in or on a wet bodily tissue in viv o to form the claimed shape-retentive biomaterial. In addition, the method a lso comprises incorporating biomedical agents to produce medicated aggregate dressings or biomaterials for a variety of medical applications. This inven tion also relates to uses of the method of formation of the shape-retentive aggregates of gel nanoparticles.