Quaternized Gelatin/Chitosan Based Biodegradable Sponges With Rapid Hemostasis and Effective Antibacterial Capability for Nasal Packing

Abstract

Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is a widely recognized clinical treatment for chronic sinusitis. Nasal packing materials possess tunable biodegradability and strong antibacterial properties to prevent bleeding and infection after nasal surgery. In this study, a series of hemostatic sponges have been successfully fabricated with quaternized gelatin (QGE) and chitosan (CS) as promising nasal packing materials. The QGE/CS sponges demonstrate high liquid absorption capacity (62.3 g/g), satisfactory compressive strengths in both wet (8.8 kPa) and dry (42.0 kPa) states, and an optimal degradation rate (36.6%) within 3 days. When QGE content is greater than 25 wt%, QGE/CS exhibits excellent biocompatibility and 99.9% antibacterial activity against both S. aureus and E. coli . The positively charged porous QGE/CS sponges enhance the capacity to concentrate coagulation factors, leading to effective hemostatic performance. In a rabbit nasal septum trauma model, QGE/CS sponges significantly outperformed commercial PVA nasal packing sponges, reducing hemostasis time by nearly 180 s and decreasing blood loss by up to 67.3%. QGE/CS sponges, with a 3-day biodegradation profile and antibacterial properties, offer significant potential for controlling post-surgical bleeding, improving patient postoperative comfort, and preventing infection after FESS.