Sabab, A.Vediappan, R.S.Finnie, J.McAdam, C.J.Jukes, A.Vreugde, S.Wormald, P.J.2025-07-162025-07-162022Frontiers in Surgery, 2022; 9:830364-1-830364-92296-875X2296-875Xhttps://hdl.handle.net/2440/146010Background: Intraoperative hemorrhage is a major cause of poor post-operative outcome. Beta-chitin patch has previously been found to be an effective haemostat, but whether modifying the patch can improve its efficacy and safety, remains unknown. In this study, beta-chitin patches were modified using polyethylene oxide, Pluronic-F127 (Chi/F127), calcium (Chi/20%Ca), increased thickness (Chi/Thick) or polyphosphate (Chi/PP). Objective: Using rat (Wistar Albino; 8–10 weeks old) vascular and neurosurgical models, this project investigated and compared the efficacy and safety of beta-chitin patches with gauze, Surgicel and FloSeal. Methods: Ninety rats underwent a standardized femoral artery injury and were randomized to receive either beta-chitin patches, gauze, Surgicel or FloSeal. The bleeding time and total blood loss was measured. For the neurosurgical model, forty-four rats underwent a standardized cortical injury and randomization to a treatment group. Following a 48 h recovery period, their brains were collected for histopathological examination. Results: The mean bleeding time with Chitin (120.8 s) and Chi/PP (117.3 s) was ∼60 s lower than Chi/F127, Chi/20%Ca and Chi/Thick (p < 0.05). Chitin and Chi/PP had a significantly lower bleeding time than FloSeal (174.2 s) (p < 0.05), but not Surgicel (172.7 s). Gauze (400 s) had a significantly higher bleeding time compared to all other groups (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the total blood loss between the groups. Histopathological examination of brains found no adverse inflammatory reaction to any of the haemostatic compounds. Conclusion: Chi/PP had superior haemostatic efficacy compared to Surgicel and FloSeal, but not compared to non-modified beta-chitin patch. All of the haemostats were equally safe.en© 2022 Sabab, Vediappan, Finnie, McAdam, Jukes, Vreugde and Wormald. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.chitin; p-GlcNAc; haemostat; haemostasis; neurosurgery; bio-technologyJournal article10.3389/fsurg.2022.8303642024-08-07611023Finnie, J. [0000-0003-2277-1693]Vreugde, S. [0000-0003-4719-9785]Wormald, P.J. [0000-0001-7753-7277]