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Fabrication and Characterization of a Conformal Skin-like Electronic System for Quantitative, Cutaneous Wound Management
Published on: September 2, 2015
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A Wirelessly Controlled Smart Bandage with 3D-Printed Miniaturized Needle Arrays.
Hossein Derakhshandeh1, Fariba Aghabaglou1, Alec McCarthy1
1Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
Advanced Functional Materials
|August 6, 2021
Summary
A novel programmable platform delivers drugs via miniaturized needles for chronic wound healing. This approach significantly improved wound closure and tissue regeneration in diabetic mice compared to topical treatments.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
- Wound Healing Research
Background:
- Chronic wounds, particularly in diabetes, lead to significant morbidity and amputation.
- Current treatments face challenges in clinical translation due to limited delivery methods.
- Effective wound healing requires stage-specific delivery of multiple therapeutic agents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer a programmable platform for minimally invasive, multi-agent drug delivery to chronic wounds.
- To investigate the impact of targeted drug delivery on wound healing processes.
- To demonstrate the efficacy of this platform in a preclinical model of diabetic wound healing.
Main Methods:
- Development of a wearable, programmable drug delivery platform with miniaturized needles.
- Utilizing the platform for controlled spatiotemporal delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
- Evaluating wound healing parameters in diabetic mice with chronic dermal wounds.
Main Results:
- The platform successfully delivered VEGF to deeper wound layers with precise temporal control.
- VEGF delivery via the platform significantly enhanced wound closure and re-epithelialization.
- Improved angiogenesis and hair growth were observed in treated wounds compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- A programmable, needle-based platform offers a novel approach for targeted drug delivery in chronic wound management.
- Optimized delivery methods and spatial distribution are critical for therapeutic efficacy in wound regeneration.
- This technology shows promise for improving outcomes in diabetic wound healing.
