A tree-inspired liquid-managing scaffold with radial-axial continuity for wound exudate management

Effective exudate management remains challenging in complex wounds because most dressings rely on local absorption or surface wetting, which readily fail under persistent, heterogeneous, and three-dimensional fluid input. Here, inspired by the radial-axial transport organization of trees, we developed an annealed bioinspired radial-axial convergent scaffold (aBRACS) from regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) via directional ice templating. Featuring a seamless convergent-ascending channel architecture, aBRACS couples radial liquid capture with axial drainage in a continuous three-dimensional network, enabling sustained absorption, redistribution, and drainage of viscous exudate while avoiding localized saturation. Ag⁺ incorporation further endows the scaffold with antibacterial capability. Beyond fluid regulation, aBRACS supports architecture-guided cellular behavior in vitro, enhances endothelial tube formation, and promotes a more pro-regenerative wound microenvironment characterized. In a bacteria-inoculated exudative wound model, these combined advantages lead to improved bacterial control, vascularized tissue reconstruction, and accelerated healing. These results demonstrate that radial-axial architectural continuity provides a structural basis for functional exudate management and offers a generalizable design principle for next-generation wound dressings.