On cuts and other gashes, we frequently use Band-Aids or gauze, but experts are also looking into more high-tech solutions. Smart bandages that are just a few microns thick have the ability to revolutionize how patients with chronic wounds are treated. The breakthrough uses electrotherapy to hasten the healing process, but it goes a step further by having the ability to biodegrade securely after the job is done.
The project is led by Northwestern University researchers, and testing so far has only been done on mice. It marks the first bioresorbable bandage capable of delivering electrotherapy and the first example of a smart regenerative system.
How does it work?
The new, flexible bandage covers the area of the wound and has electrodes on both surfaces. One electrode on the inner face rests directly on the wound, and its ring-shaped companion encircles it. On the opposite side, a near-field communication (NFC) system and a power-harvesting coil are used to wirelessly transfer data. The electric currents are intended to aid the healing process, but additional sensors monitor the progress and can notify doctors if there are any problems or difficulties.
The team discovered that electrodes made from incredibly thin layers of the metal molybdenum can securely biodegrade over time without obstructing the healing process during the development phases. Researchers found that most of the metal can be absorbed into the rodents within six months, with very little accumulation in any of the test animals’ systems, when the new bandages were applied to mice with diabetic ulcers. Furthermore, with just 30 minutes of electrotherapy stimulation per day, healing periods rose by as much as 30%.
“Although it’s an electronic device, the active components that interface with the wound bed are entirely resorbable,” said Northwestern’s John A. Rogers, who co-led the study. “As such, the materials disappear naturally after the healing process is complete, thereby avoiding any damage to the tissue that could otherwise be caused by physical extraction.”
Why does it matter?
In their lifetimes, between 15 and 20 percent of diabetics will experience an ulcer. Due to nerve damage brought on by diabetes, these wounds frequently go unnoticed and take a long time to recover. These wounds are more likely to experience severe, occasionally life-threatening complications and infections the longer they are left open or only partly healed.
In order to deal with this, electrical therapy is a method of promoting healing by drawing new blood flow to the wound, but the equipment and medical instruments required for treatment have long been bulky, wired (because they require a power supply), and limited to monitored hospital settings. Smart electrical bandages provide an immediate alternative, saving patients time, money and lengthy visits to the doctor.
The group aims to begin human trials after larger animal testing is finished. The bandage might enter the public sphere much sooner than other treatments requiring FDA approval because it doesn’t contain any drugs or restricted materials.
