Biodegradable shape memory polymer foams with appropriate thermal properties for hemostatic applications

Shape memory polymer (SMP) foams are a promising material for hemostatic dressings due to their biocompatibility, high surface area, excellent shape recovery, and ability to quickly initiate blood clotting. Biodegradable SMP foams could eliminate the need for a secondary removal procedure of hemostatic material from the patients' wound, further facilitating wound healing. In this study, we developed hydrolytically and oxidatively biodegradable SMP foams by reacting polyols (triethanolamine or glycerol) with 6-aminocaproic acid or glycine to generate foaming monomers with degradable ester bonds. These monomers were used in foam synthesis to provide highly crosslinked SMP foam structures. The ester-containing foams showed clinically relevant thermal properties that were comparable to controls and excellent shape recovery within eight min. Triethanolamine-based ester-containing foams showed interconnected porous structure along with increased mechanical strength. Faster hydrolytic and oxidative biodegradation rates were achieved in ester-containing foams in comparison to controls. These biodegradable SMP foams with clinically applicable thermal properties possess great potential as an effective hemostatic device for use in hospitals or on battlefields.