Flatworms are bilaterally symmetrical, soft-bodied invertebrates. The most visible representatives include hairworms, liver flukes, and tapeworms.
The phenomenon of uncontrolled bleeding leads to significant blood loss in humans, meaning victims have only a few minutes between life and death.
While wounds can be tightly compressed to stop bleeding, this method cannot be applied to certain areas of the body, such as the torso.
Moreover, using medical dressings to seal a heavily bleeding wound is also a significant challenge.
Recently, researchers in Canada designed a biological dressing inspired by the adhesive properties of flatworms. They named it LIMB (short for Liquid-Infused Microstructural Bioadhesive).
Unlike other types of flatworms, marine flatworms are usually larger. (Photo: Africageographic.com).
Flatworms can be parasitic, living in water or moist soil environments. In marine settings, they attach to surfaces contaminated with biofouling using adhesive that features microstructural characteristics and permeable liquids.
The researchers compared the effectiveness of LIMB on pigs and mice. The results, measured by the amount of blood lost, indicated that LIMB outperformed all existing hemostatic technologies.
One limitation is that although this method is highly effective, blood is part of a mixture of fibrin fibers (blood clots) that help seal wounds—LIMB produces a red, gelatin-like substance that may appear somewhat unappealing.
While this technology is still in the research phase, it offers hope for saving a portion of the approximately 2 million people who die from uncontrolled bleeding globally each year.
LIMB can replace existing dressings in special cases. (Photo: Thinkstock).
The lead author of the study from McGill University, Guangyu Bao, stated: “It (LIMB) facilitates a quick bandaging process without applying pressure—suitable for situations of uncontrollable bleeding that often threaten life.”
“When applied to the bleeding site, the new adhesive uses suction to draw blood, cleans the surface for adhesion, and bonds with tissue to create a physical seal.”
In addition to stopping bleeding, this technology is expected to replace surgical sutures or become a component of therapeutic drugs. However, commercializing this technology will take more time due to the need for clinical trials.
