Versatile Chitosan-Based Hydrogel Dressings for Multi-Scenario Wound Management

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Wound Healing

Background:

• Severe skin defects necessitate functional dressings for effective healing.
• Hydrogels, particularly chitosan (CS)-based ones, are ideal for wound management due to their hydration, porosity, and biocompatibility.
• CS hydrogels can be engineered with dynamic cross-linking for adaptable wound microenvironment integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the design principles and functional optimization of chitosan-based hydrogels for wound healing.
• To highlight recent advancements in smart CS hydrogel dressings.
• To discuss the potential of CS hydrogels in addressing challenges in both acute and chronic wound treatment.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on chitosan hydrogel development for wound healing.
• Analysis of various cross-linking strategies (dynamic covalent and physical interactions).
• Examination of functional properties including biocompatibility, hemostasis, antimicrobial activity, and stimulus-responsiveness.

Main Results:

• Smart CS hydrogels exhibit enhanced functionalities: biocompatible, biodegradable, hemostatic, adhesive, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, stimulus-responsive, controlled-release, and self-healing.
• These hydrogels accelerate healing in acute wounds via hemostasis and infection control.
• For chronic wounds, CS hydrogels overcome barriers through synergistic effects like photothermal therapy, antimicrobial action, and promotion of vascular regeneration.

Conclusions:

• Chitosan-based hydrogels represent a promising platform for advanced wound healing dressings.
• Their tunable properties and diverse functionalities address complex wound healing challenges.
• Future research should focus on further optimizing these hydrogels for clinical translation and broader applications in regenerative medicine.