Self-sealing hemostatic and antibacterial needles by polyphenol-assisted surface self-assembly of multifunctional nanoparticles

Abstract Tissue puncture with needles is frequently applied for blood sampling, drug injection, and percutaneous biopsies. Bleeding is a critical complication following this clinical procedure, particularly in patients suffering from inherited or acquired bleeding disorders. Herein we engineered self-sealing hemostatic and antibacterial needles by facile self-assembly. In this strategy, an adhesive coating derived from polyphenols (either dopamine or tannic acid) was first deposited on the needle surface. Then multifunctional nanoparticles with potent hemostatic and antibacterial properties were assembled by ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI), which were decorated on the functionalized needle via electrostatic forces. In multiple bleeding models of healthy or thrombocytopenic animals, UDCA/PEI nanoparticle-coated needles effectively prevented bleeding following different puncture procedures. Mechanistically, hemostasis was realized by inducing platelet aggregation and activation as well as the clot formation via locally retained nanoparticles upon needle withdrawal at the puncture site. Antibacterial activity of UDCA/PEI nanoparticle-functionalized coatings was also demonstrated. Importantly, our preliminary studies revealed good safety profiles of hemostatic needles after single or repeated puncture procedures. Consequently, this type of hemostatic and antibacterial needles are promising for prevention of bleeding-associated complications in different clinical conditions.