Antibacterial Surgical Sealants for Enhanced Healing of Biofilm-Infected Wounds

Abstract The number of people suffering from diabetes worldwide has been estimated at 350 million. Up to 25% of diabetic patients will develop chronic foot ulcers, which are at high risk for infection and can lead to amputation. While antibiotics have the potential to lessen the complications associated with infections, bacterial evolution and adaption can render these compounds useless. Bacterial biofilms further complicate management of wounds due to increased treatment resistance and inhibition of wound closure. Chitosan, a non-antibiotic biopolymer, has shown tremendous promise as a biomaterial due to its wound-healing properties and pH-dependent antimicrobial behavior. In this project, we propose to test the ability of a novel, antibacterial hydrogel in promoting wound healing in infected and in-infected models. The medical sealant is based on a hyrdogel composed of poly(ethylene glycol) and chitosan that has been modified to contain permanent positive charges. In vitro assays and in vivo models will be used to determine the efficacy of this material in killing bacteria, disrupting biofilms, and enhancing wound healing.