North Carolina State University researchers have created a cost-effective dressing that uses an electric field to speed up the healing of chronic wounds.
In animal tests, wounds treated with these electric bandages healed 30% faster than those treated with traditional bandages.
Chronic wounds are often difficult to treat, in part because current treatment methods are very expensive, creating additional challenges for patients.
“Our goal here was to develop a much cheaper technology to speed up the healing of patients with chronic wounds,” says Amay Bandodkar, co-author of the study.
“We also wanted to make sure the technology was easy enough for people to use at home, rather than something patients could only get in a clinical setting.”
A research team has developed water-powered electronics-free dressings (WPEDs) that solve this problem. These disposable bandages have electrodes on one side and a small biocompatible battery on the other.
When applied to the wound, a drop of water activates the battery and creates an electrical field that promotes healing for several hours.
“This electric field is critical because it is well known that electric fields accelerate the healing of chronic wounds,” says Rajaram Kaveti, co-author of the study.
The electrodes are designed to be flexible, allowing them to bend with the dressing and conform to the surface of chronic wounds, which are often deep and irregular in shape.
“This ability to adapt is critical because we want the electric field to go from the edge of the wound toward the center of the wound,” says Kaveti.
“For the electric field to be effectively focused, you want the electrodes to be in contact with the patient both on the periphery and in the center of the wound itself.
And because these wounds can be asymmetric and deep, you have to have electrodes that can adapt to a wide range of surface properties.”
Chronic wounds, such as the bedsores common in diabetic patients, are open wounds that heal very slowly or not at all.
These wounds often recur after treatment and can greatly increase the risk of amputation and death.
The wound dressings were tested in diabetic mice, a common model of human wound healing. Electrical stimulation from the device significantly accelerated wound closure, promoted new blood vessel formation and reduced inflammation, indicating overall improved wound healing.
The research showed that mice treated with WPED healed approximately 30% faster than mice treated with standard dressings.
WPEDs are designed for quick and easy application. Once in place, patients can move freely and participate in their daily activities, allowing them to receive treatment at home.
This convenience increases the likelihood of adherence to the treatment regimen, as patients are less likely to miss sessions or take shortcuts because they do not need to visit the clinic or remain immobile for long periods of time.
