Synthetic Polymer-Based Interventions in Wound Healing: A Clinical Perspective on their Efficacy and Limitations

Wound healing is a complex and dynamic biological process involving hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and tissue remodeling. Conventional wound dressings provide only passive protection and fail to maintain an optimal healing microenvironment. Synthetic polymers, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), and polyethylene glycol (PEG), have emerged as promising materials in advanced wound care due to their tunable physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and enhanced therapeutic functionality.

This review aims to evaluate the potential of synthetic polymers in wound healing applications, focusing on their structural and functional advantages, challenges, and opportunities in the development of nextgeneration wound dressings.

A comprehensive literature review was conducted on recent developments in polymer-based wound dressings. In this review, we conducted a systematic literature search across Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed for publications between 2015 and 2025. The search strategy employed keywords, such as "wound healing", "polyvinyl alcohol", "polycaprolactone", "poly(lactic-coglycolic acid)", "polyethylene alcohol", "physicochemical characteristics", "drug delivery capabilities", and " clinical trial" to capture the research landscape.

Synthetic polymers demonstrated significant potential in overcoming limitations of natural biomaterials, such as poor mechanical strength and rapid degradation. PEG-based hydrogels exhibited excellent hydrophilicity and sustained drug release. PCL scaffolds offered mechanical durability and supported tissue regeneration. PLGA allowed controlled therapeutic release through tunable degradation, while PVA ensured prolonged wound protection due to its structural stability. Polymer modifications, including crosslinking and blending, further enhanced wound healing efficacy.

Synthetic polymers provide versatile platforms for designing multifunctional wound dressings with improved healing outcomes. Future research should emphasize biodegradable, patient-specific, and smart wound dressings integrating controlled drug delivery, infection prevention, and angiogenic stimulation, thereby revolutionizing wound management practices.