An Absorbent, Flexible, Transparent, and Scalable Substrate for Wound Dressings

Objective: Wound dressings that create and maintain a moist environment provide the optimal conditions for wound healing by increasing the rate of epithelialization and angiogenesis. However, current wound dressings require periodic removal which exposes the wound to the surrounding environment, thereby increasing the likelihood for infection and drying out the wound itself. There remains an unmet medical need for the development of an absorbent, flexible, and transparent wound dressing that can conform to the irregular geometry of the wound for a long-term duration. Herein, we report the development of AFTIDerm, an Absorbent, Flexible, Transparent, and Inexpensive moisture-management wound dressing using Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the host material. AFTIDerm substrates of varying glycerol concentrations (1 wt%, 3 wt%, 5 wt%, 7 wt%, and 10 wt%) were fabricated and tested. The mechanical, absorption, and biological properties of AFTIDerm were evaluated. We found that 5% glycerol served as the optimal concentration for AFTIDerm. The biocompatibility, absorptive capabilities, and scalability render PVA/glycerol an ideal material composition for wound dressings. Benchtop experimentation and pre-clinical testing demonstrate AFTIDerm as a platform for use in wound dressings. The development of AFTIDerm broadens the translational utility of this materials platform not only as a material for wound dressings to minimize dressing changes in low to moderate exudate environments, but also as a potential substrate material for smart bandages. Derm, an absorbent, flexible, and transparent wound dressing, maintains the moist environment required for healing while enabling monitoring of healing without removal and disruption to the wound bed.