Highly Water-Absorptive and Antibacterial Hydrogel Dressings for Rapid Postoperative Detumescence

Postoperative wound edema, infection, and pain burden the patient's life. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop an effective antibacterial, multifunctional application to prevent postoperative edema and relieve postoperative pain by making full use of the dehydrating and analgesic effects of magnesium sulfate (MgSO₄), magnesium oxide (MgO), sodium alginate (SA), and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Na-CMC) to make a composite hydrogel, which can promote postoperative detumescence. MgSO_4//MgO/SA/Na-CMC composite hydrogel dressings have outstanding mechanical properties, high water absorption, and good biocompatibility. MgO endows the hydrogel dressing with excellent antibacterial properties and better antibacterial activity against common bacteria and multidrug-resistant bacteria. In addition, MgSO₄/MgO/SA/Na-CMC hydrogel dressing shows superior dehydration and analgesic properties in the postoperative nude mice model. This study shows that the multifunctional MgSO₄/MgO/SA/Na-CMC composite hydrogel dressing developed as a surgical incision dressing has broad prospects in the prevention of incision infection, postoperative edema, and analgesia.