Photochemical Tissue Bonding for Military Medical Applications

Nearly 27,000 soldiers have been injured in the present conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Advances in trauma treatments have allowed a greater percentage of these casualties to survive than previously; with the advent of excellent body armor more injuries are now seen in extremities than before, including nerve and blood vessel damage. A rapid repair of vascular injuries improves outcomes for injured soldiers, by decreasing the necessity of amputation. Photochemical Tissue Bonding is a technique that consists of a photo-active dye capable of crosslinking collagen at the site of injury when exposed to an intense light source. Developed by Drs. Redmond and Kochevar of the Wellman Laboratories of Photomedicine, the technique shows exceptional promise for complete vascular repair. A system comprising a stent and light source, which will address the requirements of rapid deployment in a forward field hospital and relative simplicity of use, is required to translate this technology from the clinic to the front line. Infoscitex Corporation (IST), in cooperation with Wellman Laboratories, proposes to develop a rapidly degradable and biologically compatible stent with the appropriate mechanical properties for use in this application. Additionally IST will explore design parameters and propose solutions for a portable isotropic light source.