The gel’s active ingredient is a chemically modified form of chitosan, a biocompatible polymer derived from the bony part of squid (the pen) and crabs.

“This is a very exciting discovery for us,” research team leader Professor Brian Robinson says. “This combination makes it the ‘holy grail’ of medical gels. It could potentially help a lot of people around the world by reducing complications in sinus surgery and other surgical procedures.”

Around a third of operations to relieve sinusitis result in scarring, called adhesions, which require further surgery to correct.

Following the gel’s highly impressive performance in preventing sinus adhesions in sheep trials, Australian collaborators at the University of Adelaide are now undertaking human patient trials. Sheep were used as they have a very similar sinus set-up to people.

The gel can also reduce bleeding during operations, allowing surgeons a much better view of what they are operating on. “We thought we’d have to combine another chemical with the gel to get this property but it was already there,” biopolymer expert Dr Stephen Moratti says.

The Otago team is now refining the gel’s formulation to aid wound healing in cosmetic and abdominal surgery.

“Squid are an abundant renewable resource in our waters so this potentially could lead to new export earnings based on the chitosan from squid pens, which are usually thrown away during seafood processing in New Zealand,” Professor Robinson adds.