Abstract

Postoperative adhesions are very common complications after various abdominal surgeries. Although numerous strategies have been applied to reduce or prevent adhesion formation, the clinical efficacy is still far from satisfactory. In this study, a multilayer electrospun nanomaterial (GelMA-PLA/PGA/Lec), composed of lecithin-doped polylactide/polyglycolide nanofiber membrane (PLA/PGA/Lec) and gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) nanofiber hydrogel, was developed to act as a physical barrier for the first time. The resulting barrier exhibited unique micro/nanopore architecture, excellent permeability, and proper water content. Besides structural stability, the PLA/PGA/Lec layer endowed the barrier with good mechanical properties and anti-fibroblast adhesion. Meanwhile, the GelMA layer imparted an acid-neutralizing effect for alleviating acidic environment during degradation and a lubrication capacity for reduced interfacial friction as well as inhibited excessive fibroblast proliferation. These results indicated that the GelMA-PLA/PGA/Lec barrier with efficient lubrication and anti-fibroblast capability has potential application in minimizing postoperative adhesions.