Polymer compositions of dihydroxyacetone and uses thereof
The present disclosure provides injectable synthetic and biodegradable polymeric biomaterials that effectively prevent seroma, a common postoperative complication following ablative and reconstructive surgeries. Provided biomaterials include physically crosslinked hydrogels that are thixotropic, display rapid chain relaxation, are easily extruded through narrow gauge needles, biodegrade into inert products, are well tolerated by soft tissues, and effectively prevent seroma in a radical breast mastectomy animal model.
1. A method of treatment, the method comprising:
administering a material comprising a physically entangled network of poly(ethylene glycol)/poly-dihydroxyacetone (PEG-pDHA) copolymer at a wound bed or surgical site of a patient, or in an area up to about 30 cm from the wound bed or surgical site, wherein the material is a hydrogel or forms a hydrogel upon administration.
2. A method for the prevention or treatment of seromas, the method comprising the step of: administering a material comprising a physically entangled network of poly(ethylene glycol)/poly-dihydroxyacetone (PEG-pDHA) copolymer at a wound bed or surgical site of a patient, or in an area up to about 30 cm from the wound bed or surgical site, wherein the material is a hydrogel or forms a hydrogel upon administration.
3. A method for the prevention or treatment of post-operative tissue adhesion, the method comprising the step of: administering a material comprising a physically entangled network of poly(ethylene glycol)/poly-dihydroxyacetone (PEG-pDHA) copolymer at a wound bed or surgical site of a patient, or in an area up to about 30 cm from the wound bed or surgical site, wherein the material is a hydro gel or forms a hydrogel upon administration.
4. A method for achieving hemostasis, the method comprising the step of: administering a material comprising a physically entangled network of poly(ethylene glycol)/poly-dihydroxyacetone (PEG-pDHA) copolymer at a wound bed or surgical site, or in an area up to about 30 cm from the wound bed or surgical site, wherein the material is a hydrogel or forms a hydrogel upon administration.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material is a powder and forms a hydrogel upon administration.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wound bed or surgical site is in the abdomen.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PEG-pDHA copolymer is a block copolymer.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PEG-pDHA copolymer is a diblock copolymer comprising a PEG block and a p-DHA block.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PEG-pDHA copolymer is a triblock copolymer.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PEG-pDHA copolymer is a quadblock copolymer.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PEG-pDHA copolymer is a multiblock copolymer.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PEG-pDHA copolymer is a copolymer comprising PEG, pDHA, and at least one other monomer.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PEG-pDHA copolymer is a random copolymer.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the M w , of the PEG block of the PEG-pDHA diblock copolymer is from 100 to 1,000,000 daltons.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the M w , of the PEG block of the PEG-pDHA diblock copolymer is from 100 to 10,000 daltons.
16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the M w , of the pDHA block of the PEG-pDHA diblock copolymer is from 100 to 1,000,000 daltons.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the M w , of the pDHA block of the PEG-pDHA diblock copolymer is from 1,000 to 10,000 daltons.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the M w , of the pDHA block of the PEG-pDHA diblock copolymer is from 2,500 to 3,500 daltons.
19. The method of claim 8 , wherein the PEG block is linear.
20. The method of claim 8 , wherein the PEG block is branched.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the branched PEG block comprises 3 to 50 PEG chains emanating from a central core group.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the PEG block is a comb PEG.
23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the PEG block is a star PEG.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the star PEG comprises 3 to 200 PEG chains emanating from a central core group.
25. The method of claim 8 , wherein the PEG block is terminated with a suitable organic group.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the organic group is aliphatic, acyl, heteroaliphatic, aryl, or heteroaryl.
27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the organic group is selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, proteins, and peptides.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the organic group is monomethoxy.
29. The method of claim 8 , wherein the PEG-pDHA co-polymer is poly(MPEG-b-2-oxypropylene carbonate).