First transient electronic bandage speeds healing by 30% by Northwestern University
Northwestern Univ. researchers have developed a first-of-its-kind small, flexible, stretchable bandage that accelerates healing by delivering electrotherapy directly to the wound site.
In an animal study, the new bandage healed diabetic ulcers 30% faster than in mice without the bandage.
The bandage also actively monitors the healing process and then harmlessly dissolves—(molybdenum) electrodes & all—into the body after it is no longer needed. The new device could provide a powerful tool for patients with diabetes, whose ulcers can lead to various complications, including amputated limbs or even death...
[...]A tiny flower-shaped electrode that sits right on top of the wound bed & a ring-shaped electrode that sits on healthy tissue to surround the entire wound. The other side of the device contains an energy-harvesting coil to power the system & a near-field communication (NFC) system to wirelessly transport data in real time.
[...]"As a wound tries to heal, it produces a moist environment," Guillermo A. Ameer said. "Then, as it heals, it should dry up. Moisture alters the current, so we are able to detect that by tracking electrical resistance in the wound. Then, we can collect that information & transmit it wirelessly. With wound care management, we ideally want the wound to close within a month. If it takes longer, that delay can raise concerns."
"We are the first to show that molybdenum can be used as a biodegradable electrode for wound healing," Ameer said. "After about 6 months, most of it was gone. And we found there's very little accumulation in the organs. Nothing out of the ordinary. But the amount of metal we use to make these electrodes is so minimal, we don't expect it to cause any major issues."
[...]Next, the team plans to test their bandage for diabetic ulcers in a larger animal model. Then, they aim to test it on humans. Because the bandage leverages the body's own healing power without releasing drugs or biologics, it faces fewer regulatory hurdles. This means patients potentially could see it on the market much sooner.
The study is titled "Bioresorbable, wireless battery-free system for electrotherapy and impedance sensing at wound sites." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-02-transient-electronic-bandage-percent.html
Joseph Song et al, Bioresorbable, wireless, and battery-free system for electrotherapy and impedance sensing at wound sites, Science Advances (2023). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade4687. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ade4687