Hierarchically structured conductive hydrogels for electrically programmable drug delivery in a diabetic wound...

Smart wound dressings that integrate advanced drug delivery strategies and electrical stimulation (ES) represent a revolutionary approach for improving diabetic wound healing. However, limited drug loading efficiency and delayed reactivity to electrical inputs make it difficult to practically implement ES-controlled drug release in hydrogel-coated electrodes. In order to address these limitations, we developed a hydrogel-based electronic wound dressing patch that enables highly programmable, ES-triggered drug delivery. In particular, a hierarchically architectrual conductive polymer hydrogel composed of PEDOT: CHC/silk was designed to be used as an electroresponsive matrix and a drug reservoir. This hydrogel exhibited a high encapsulation efficiency (>90 %) for the hydrophobic drug ibuprofen and demonstrated exceptional mechanical resilience and electrochemical stability. Through systematic optimization of ES parameters such as voltage, frequency, and waveform, the system achieved precise spatiotemporal modulation of drug release. Notably, the integration of the hydrogel into interdigitated electrode arrays significantly enhanced delivery performance through improved field distribution and release control. In addition, the multifunctional patch also exhibited intrinsic antibacterial activity and biocompatibility, making it well-suited for clinical application. This work cumulatively introduces a wearable, electroceutical, and long-term active wound dressing system that is integratively assembled with wound protection, electrical treatment, and stimulus-sensitive drug delivery, hence being a promising approach to enhance diabetic wound healing through intelligent bioelectric treatment.