The use of injectable hydrogel formulations have been suggested as a promising strategy for the treatment of degenerative disc disease to both restore the biomechanical function and reduce low back pain. In this work, a new thermo-sensitive injectable hydrogels with tunable thermo-sensitivity and enhanced stability were developed with N-hexanoylation of glycol chitosan (GC) for treatment of degenerative disc disease, and their physico-chemical and biological properties were evaluated. The sol-gel transition temperature of the hydrogels was controlled in a range of 23–56 °С, depending on the degree of hexanoylation and the polymer concentration. In vitro and In vivo tests showed no cytotoxicity and no adverse effects in a rat model. The hydrogel filling of the defective IVD site in an ex vivo porcine model maintained its stability for longer than 28 days. These results suggest that the hydrogel can be used as an alternative material for treatment of disc herniation.

已经建议使用可注射水凝胶制剂作为治疗变性椎间盘疾病以恢复生物力学功能并减轻下腰痛的有前途的策略。在这项工作中，开发了一种新的具有可调热敏性和增强稳定性的热敏可注射水凝胶，并通过乙二醇壳聚糖（GC）的N-己酰基化来治疗变性椎间盘疾病，并对其理化和生物学特性进行了评估。水凝胶的溶胶-凝胶转变温度控制在23–56°С范围内，具体取决于己酰化程度和聚合物浓度。体外和体内试验显示在大鼠模型中没有细胞毒性，也没有副作用。在离体猪模型中IVD缺陷位点的水凝胶填充保持其稳定性超过28天。这些结果表明水凝胶可以用作治疗椎间盘突出症的替代材料。