Polymeric biomaterials for wound healing applications: a comprehensive review

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Wound Healing Research

Background:

• Chronic wounds pose a significant global health challenge, with numerous factors impeding natural healing processes.
• Current research focuses on developing advanced biomaterials to overcome these healing barriers.
• Existing biomaterial strategies include hydrogels, nanofibrous, composite, foam, spongy, bilayered, and trilayered scaffolds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in biomaterial development for chronic and acute wound healing.
• To analyze the properties of biomaterials and their impact on wound-healing performance.
• To identify promising scaffold designs for enhanced skin regeneration.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent advances in biomaterials for wound healing.
• Analysis of various biomaterial properties (hydrophilicity, porosity, biodegradability, mechanical properties, gas permeability).
• Evaluation of scaffold performance in accelerating chronic wound healing and skin regeneration.

Main Results:

• Trilayered constructs are identified as highly promising for chronic wound healing and complete skin regeneration.
• These scaffolds effectively mimic the full thickness of skin (epidermis, dermis, hypodermis).
• Scaffold properties like hydrophilicity, porosity, and biodegradability are crucial for cell attachment, proliferation, migration, and differentiation.

Conclusions:

• Trilayered scaffolds offer a compelling approach to chronic wound management and skin regeneration.
• Optimizing scaffold properties is key to enhancing cell-mediated healing processes.
• Biomaterial innovation is critical for addressing the global burden of chronic wounds.