Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have developed a new bandage that helps in treatment of various wounds, such as cuts, scrapes, or burns. Many wounds often get healed automatically, but they can be chronic for people suffering from diabetes.
The new bandage, described in a study in the journal Science Advances, is targeted at people suffering from diabetes. The disease can interfere with the body’s healing process, so that wounds will not go away and could become infected and fester.
The smart bandage, therefore, is aimed at making treatment of these wounds easier, more effective, and less expensive, Caltech said in a press release. It was developed in the lab of Wei Gao, assistant professor of medical engineering, Heritage Medical Research Institute Investigator, and Ronald and JoAnne Willens Scholar.
"There are many different types of chronic wounds, especially in diabetic ulcers and burns that last a long time and cause huge issues for the patient. There is a demand for technology that can facilitate recovery," the release quoted Gao as saying.
How the smart bandage works
The typical bandages that we use normally consist of absorbent material in one or more layers. The smart bandages, on the other hand, are made from a flexible polymer in which electronics and medication are embedded. The bandage has a sensor that can monitor the wound for molecules like uric acid or lactate, and indicators like pH level or temperature, any of which may indicate inflammation or bacterial infection.
The bandage can respond in any one of three ways. It can gather data from the wound and transmit it wirelessly to a computer, tablet, or smartphone so that a doctor or the patient themselves can make an assessment.
The bandage can also deliver an antibiotic or other medication (this will be stored within the bandage) directly to the wound site and treat the inflammation and infection. In the third form of response, the bandage can apply a low-level electrical field to the wound, which would stimulate tissue growth and accelerate the healing process.
The researchers tested the bandage in animal models under laboratory conditions. According to the release, the bandages were able to provide real-time updates about the condition of the wounds, as well as offer speed healing of chronic infected wounds similar to those found in humans.
The release quoted Gao as saying that the results are promising and adding that future research will focus on improving the bandage technology and testing it on human patients, whose therapeutic needs may be different than those of lab animals.