A team of biomedical engineers has developed a smart bandage that could improve the treatment of chronic wounds, as well as general clinical care.
Chronic and non-healing wounds are one of the most devastating complications of diabetes.
It’s the leading cause of amputation, affecting millions of Americans every year. Unfortunately, the diseases also have a complex nature that limits proper clinical care.
Now, a researcher from UConn‘s biomedical engineering department has developed a smart solution. It’s a wirelessly-controlled smart bandage to deliver the precise dosage of various medications to the wound.
In a statement, the UConn associate professor who developed the bandage, Dr. Ali Tamayol, said:
“This is an important step in engineering advanced bandages that can facilitate the healing of hard to treat wounds. The bandage does not need to be changed continuously.”
So, how does the new invention work?
Using a Smart Bandage for Drug Delivery
Wound healing involves a wide range of processes.
Every stage of tissue regeneration requires different medication. As a result, the traditional method of constantly changing bandages may not be advantageous.
That’s where the smart bandage — a wearable device can deliver treatment with minimal invasiveness — comes in.
It comes equipped with miniature needles that can be controlled wirelessly. That way, a health professional can program medications without having to visit the patient.
According to the researchers, the needles can penetrate the deep layers of the wound bed with minimal inflammation or pain. Not only is it more useful for wound closure than topical administration for wound closure, but the bandage is also suitable for hair growth.
The researchers first conducted a test on cells. After that, they bandage completely healed diabetic mice with full-thickness skin injury. Even better, the researchers noted the absence of scar formation.
Tamayol believes that the new smart bandage could potentially replace the existing wound care system. It could one day change the way health professionals treat diabetic wounds.
For now, the researcher has applied for a patent for the technology.
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