Biodegradable Self-Powered Electrotherapy Patch for Integrated Smart Wound Management

Smart patches based on multimodal wearable devices enable real-time physiologic monitoring and proactive interventions to promote wound healing. Herein, we describe a biodegradable wearable electrotherapy patch (E-patch) that integrates noninvasive self-powered electrical stimulation (ES) therapy for tissue regeneration and a multiplexed electrochemical biosensor array for continuous monitoring of wound status. Custom-developed supercapacitor arrays (SCs) supply stable energy for ES, and constructed wearable biosensors enable sensitive monitoring of biomarkers in the wound exudate. As-fabricated wearable E-patches degrade harmlessly after operation, significantly reducing the environmental pollution pressure associated with flexible electronics. In vitro studies demonstrated that an applied electric field (EF) significantly promotes cell-directed alignment, which is crucial for tissue regeneration and remodeling. In vivo investigations in the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model illustrate that combination therapy dramatically accelerates wound healing. Overall, this work provides a promising strategy toward integrated smart wound management and future feedback-assisted wearable therapeutic systems.