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

BACKGROUND: – 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. METHODS: – 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. RESULTS: – 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. CONCLUSIONS: – 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.