Chemical Engineers Develop Treatments for Common Post-Operative Abdominal Complication

Two students wearing lab coats stand together against a laboratory background.

Researchers in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering have developed a new sprayable material that could help prevent surgical adhesions, a common and sometimes dangerous complication following abdominal surgery.

The material, designed in the lab of Peter Kofinas, a professor and chair of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, is intended to create a durable barrier between injured tissue and nearby surfaces as the body heals and could offer better outcomes for patients who develop surgical adhesions. The results of this work were published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials in mid March.

Surgical adhesions form when fibrous tissue develops between adjacent surfaces following tissue injury. They are common in patients that undergo abdominal procedures, with a 95% incidence rate, and occasionally lead to life-threatening conditions such as small bowel obstruction. In women, adhesions in the peritoneum—the abdominal space that contains organs such as the liver, stomach, and intestines—are also a leading cause of secondary infertility.

Current approaches to preventing adhesions still come with significant challenges; for one, drug-based therapies may impact the human body’s wound-healing response. Other barrier materials can be difficult for surgeons to apply and may degrade before tissue has fully healed, limiting their effectiveness.

“If a material breaks down into pieces [after being applied to a tissue], that’s not helping anyone,” said Robert Morris, doctoral candidate in chemical and biomolecular engineering and lead author of the paper.

To address those limitations, the research team developed a sprayable polymer that forms a protective barrier over injured tissue while maintaining its mechanical properties over time. The material remains in place for at least 10 days, giving tissue time to heal before the barrier biodegrades.

“We developed a material that is capable of maintaining its mechanical properties over a long scale of time, while simultaneously preventing adhesion formation,” said Morris.

The research team is now studying additional applications for the material, including its potential use in female reproductive health. With further testing, the researchers hope the platform could offer surgeons a more effective tool for reducing complications and supporting recovery after surgical procedures.

“Post-surgical adhesions remain a major clinical challenge, in part because current treatment options do not always provide the durability or ease of use needed in the operating room,” said Kofinas. “Our goal was to develop a material that can be delivered simply, protect tissue during the critical healing period, and then safely degrade. We are encouraged by these findings and excited about the potential for this platform to improve outcomes for patients.”

Published May 8, 2026