Mechanically and functionally strengthened tissue adhesive of chitin whisker complexed chitosan/dextran derivatives based hydrogel.

• CtNWs are incorporated with Schiff base crosslinking Chitosan/Dextran based hydrogel. • CtNWs significantly strengthen the mechanical and adhesive properties of CD hydrogel. • CtNWs complexed CD hydrogel is non-toxic, antibacterial, degradable and hemostatic. • CtNWs complexed adhesive avoids severe postoperative adhesion and necrosis. Schiff base reaction crosslinking hydrogels are advantageous by rapid formation and absence of external crosslinkers. However, poor mechanical hindered their broader applications. Here, a mechanically strengthened tissue adhesive was constructed through incorporation of chitin nano-whiskers (CtNWs) with a Schiff base crosslinking hydrogel of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) and dextran dialdehyde (DDA). The optimal formulation of complexed hydrogel exhibited 1.87 folds higher compressive stress than non-complexed and 1.51 time higher adhesive strength on porcine skin. The complexed hydrogel exhibited negligible cytotoxicity, anti-swelling performance in PBS, optimum antibacterial and hemostatic capacities. In vivo implantation studies confirmed the complexed hydrogel was degradable without long-term inflammatory responses. Desirable efficacy of injectable complexed hydrogel as hemostat was demonstrated in rat liver injury model, which could avoid severe postoperative adhesion and necrosis as observed in the treatment with commercial 3 M™ vetbond™ tissue adhesive. The results highlighted that the complexed hydrogel potentiated rapid hemostasis and wound repair applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]