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Microneedle arrays for the treatment of chronic wounds
Lindsay Barnum1, Mohamadmahdi Samandari1, Tannin A Schmidt1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut Health Center , Farmington, CT, USA.
Introduction:
Chronic wounds are seen frequently in diabetic and bedbound patients. Such skin injuries, which do not heal in a timely fashion, can lead to life-threatening conditions. In an effort to resolve the burdens of chronic wounds, numerous investigations have explored the efficacy of various therapeutics on wound healing. Therapeutics can be topically delivered to cutaneous wounds to reduce the complications associated with systemic drug delivery because the compromised skin barrier is not expected to negatively affect drug distribution. However, researchers have recently demonstrated that the complex environment of chronic wounds could lower the localized availability of the applied therapeutics. Microneedle arrays (MNAs) can be exploited to enhance delivery efficiency and consequently improved healing.
Areas Covered:
In this review, we briefly describe the pathophysiology of chronic wounds and current treatment strategies. We further introduce methods and materials commonly used for the fabrication of MNAs. Subsequently, the studies demonstrating the benefits of MNAs in wound care are highlighted.
Expert Opinion:
Microneedles have great potential to treat the complicated pathophysiology of chronic wounds. Challenges that will need to be addressed include development of a robust chronic wound model and MNAs that combine complex functionality with simplicity of use.
Insights
Microneedle arrays (MNAs) offer a promising solution for chronic wound healing by enhancing topical therapeutic delivery. These advanced systems address challenges in drug availability within complex wound environments, improving patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Chronic wounds, common in diabetic and bedbound patients, pose significant health risks due to delayed healing.
- Topical drug delivery is preferred for cutaneous wounds, but chronic wound complexity can impede therapeutic availability.
- Microneedle arrays (MNAs) are being investigated to overcome localized drug delivery challenges in chronic wound care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the pathophysiology of chronic wounds and current treatment modalities.
- To introduce fabrication methods and materials for microneedle arrays (MNAs).
- To highlight research demonstrating the efficacy of MNAs in improving chronic wound healing.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on chronic wound pathophysiology and treatment.
- Description of common microneedle array fabrication techniques and materials.
- Synthesis of studies evaluating MNA performance in wound healing models.
Main Results:
- Microneedle arrays show potential for enhancing the delivery of therapeutics to chronic wounds.
- MNAs can improve localized drug availability in the challenging chronic wound environment.
- Studies indicate that MNAs can contribute to more effective wound healing processes.
Conclusions:
- Microneedles represent a significant advancement for treating the complex pathophysiology of chronic wounds.
- Future efforts should focus on developing reliable chronic wound models and user-friendly MNAs with advanced functionalities.
- Further research is needed to fully realize the potential of MNAs in clinical wound management.
