Highly Efficient Self‐Healing Multifunctional Dressing with Antibacterial Activity for Sutureless Wound Closure and Infected Wound Monitoring

Abstract

A common auxiliary method in wound management is the closure step, viz. the restoration of the skin function through reconnecting the wounded tissues. [4] Medical sutures and staples are the most commonly used approaches when joining wound edges. [5] However, these methods are highly invasive and can have detrimental consequences on the surrounding tissues. [6,7] In addition, these methods require professional skills and equipment, limiting their general use outside the hospital. [8] Alternative tissue connecting techniques such as Zipline, a minimal/ noninvasive wound closure device, have been investigated and publicized. [9] Nevertheless, these treatments keep the wound exposed to the environment, resulting in an increased risk of infection, and hindering wound healing. [10] Gauzes, cotton wools, and bandages that are commonly used to close wounds by wrapping or pressing are unreliable and ineffective when treating large injuries. [11,12] Therefore, there is an urgent need for multipurpose materials that combine noninvasive wound closure and dressing functions that can promote healing.Inspired by living systems, several materials with promising self-healing ability have been designed and synthesized for Wound healing represents a major clinical and public healthcare problem that is frequently challenged by infection risks, detrimental consequences on the surrounding tissues, and difficulties to monitor the healing process.Here we report on a novel self-healing, antibacterial, and multifunctional wound dressing for sutureless wound closure and real-time monitoring of the healing parameters. The self-healing elastomer contains cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and has high mechanical toughness (35 MJ m −3 ), biocompatibility, and outstanding antibacterial activity (bactericidal rate is ≈90% in 12 h), enabling the wound dressing to effectively inhibit bacterial growth and accelerate infected wound healing. In vivo tests based on full-thickness skin incision model shows that the multifunctional wound dressing can help in contracting wound edges and facilitate wound closure and healing, as could be evidenced by notably dense and well-organized collagen deposition. The test provides an evidence that the integrated sensor array within the multifunctional wound dressing can monitor temperature, pH, and glucose level of the wound area in real-time, providing reliable and timely information of the condition of the wound. Ultimately, the reported multifunctional dressing would be of high value in managing the burden associated with wound healing via personalised monitoring and treatment approaches, digital and other people-centred solutions for health care.

Design strategies for adhesive hydrogels with natural antibacterial agents as wound dressings: Status and trends

“…The integrated sensor array within the multifunctional wound dressing can monitor the temperature, pH, and glucose level of the wound area in real-time, providing reliable and timely information of the condition of the wound. Ultimately, the reported multifunctional dressing would be of high value in managing the burden associated with wound healing via personalized monitoring and treatment approaches, digital and other targeted solutions for health care [ 186 ]. Furthermore, Dong et al.…”

Polysaccharide-Based Hydrogels for Wound Dressing: Design Considerations and Clinical Applications

“…Inflammation occurs at the same time that the inflammatory response caused by neutrophils and macrophages can remove foreign bodies, bacteria, and damaged endogenous tissues as well as secrete chemokines and growth factors to further attract cells. Polysaccharides have been confirmed to act as immunomodulatory substances to regulate the appropriate inflammatory response at the wound site ( Tang et al, 2022 ). Proliferation begins 2–10 days after injury.…”

Recent Progress on Bioinspired Antibacterial Surfaces for Biomedical Application

“…Considering the uncertainty and possibility of pathogen invasion during a relatively long wound-healing process, an ideal dressing should be able to monitor wound conditions and effectively suppress pathogens in a timely way. Toward this end, a multifunctional wound dressing based on a novel self-healing elastomer was developed, which can enable real-time monitoring of temperature, pH, and glucose in the healing area and sutureless closure ( Figure 8 A) [ 169 ].…”

“…( A ) Schematic diagram of self-healing elastomer multifunctional wound dressing. Bacteria after being cocultured with PUIDE-CTAB for 6 h. Reproduced with permission [ 169 ]. 2021, Wiley-VCH.…”