Sprayable and biodegradable, intrinsically adhesive wound dressing with antimicrobial properties

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Wound Care Innovation

Background:

• Conventional wound dressings pose challenges for large total body surface area (TBSA) wounds, including difficult application, frequent changes, and infection risk.
• Existing treatments are often prefabricated, require adhesives, and struggle with exudate management, particularly in large-scale injuries or low-resource settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a novel sprayable, intrinsically adhesive wound dressing composed of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA/PEG) fibers.
• To evaluate the antimicrobial properties, cytotoxicity, and wound healing efficacy of the PLGA/PEG dressing, with and without silver (AgNO3).

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of sprayable PLGA/PEG blend fibers, with and without silver salt (AgNO3).
• In vitro assessment of antimicrobial activity, silver release kinetics (7-14 days), and cytotoxicity.
• In vivo evaluation in a porcine partial-thickness wound model, comparing PLGA/PEG dressings to a polyurethane control.

Main Results:

• The PLGA/PEG/Ag dressing exhibited antimicrobial properties and low cytotoxicity in vitro, with controlled silver release.
• In the porcine model, PLGA/PEG dressings (with or without silver) demonstrated comparable healing rates and scarring to conventional dressings.
• Significant benefits observed with PLGA/PEG: enhanced exudate absorption, wound integration, reduced dressing changes (25%), improved vascularization, and modest increase in epidermis thickness.

Conclusions:

• The sprayable PLGA/PEG wound dressing offers a promising alternative for managing large wounds, providing personalized application and enhanced healing characteristics.
• The dressing's biodegradability, antimicrobial capabilities, and improved wound environment support tissue regeneration and reduce the burden of care.
• This innovation holds potential for improving outcomes in TBSA wounds, orthopedic trauma, and resource-limited surgical settings.