Technology 2 min read

New Smart Bandage can Help Heal Chronic Wounds

Lubos Chlubny / Shutterstock.com

Lubos Chlubny / Shutterstock.com

A team of biomedical engineers has developed a smart bandage that could improve the treatment of chronic wounds, as well as general clinical care.

Chronic and non-healing wounds are one of the most devastating complications of diabetes.

It’s the leading cause of amputation, affecting millions of Americans every year. Unfortunately, the diseases also have a complex nature that limits proper clinical care.

Now, a researcher from UConn‘s biomedical engineering department has developed a smart solution. It’s a wirelessly-controlled smart bandage to deliver the precise dosage of various medications to the wound.

In a statement, the UConn associate professor who developed the bandage, Dr. Ali Tamayol, said:

“This is an important step in engineering advanced bandages that can facilitate the healing of hard to treat wounds. The bandage does not need to be changed continuously.”

So, how does the new invention work?

Using a Smart Bandage for Drug Delivery

Image Credit: Dr. Ali Tamayol | Uconn.edu
Image Credit: Dr. Ali Tamayol | Uconn.edu

Wound healing involves a wide range of processes.

Every stage of tissue regeneration requires different medication. As a result, the traditional method of constantly changing bandages may not be advantageous.

That’s where the smart bandage — a wearable device can deliver treatment with minimal invasiveness — comes in.

It comes equipped with miniature needles that can be controlled wirelessly. That way, a health professional can program medications without having to visit the patient.

According to the researchers, the needles can penetrate the deep layers of the wound bed with minimal inflammation or pain. Not only is it more useful for wound closure than topical administration for wound closure, but the bandage is also suitable for hair growth.

The researchers first conducted a test on cells. After that, they bandage completely healed diabetic mice with full-thickness skin injury. Even better, the researchers noted the absence of scar formation.

Tamayol believes that the new smart bandage could potentially replace the existing wound care system. It could one day change the way health professionals treat diabetic wounds.

For now, the researcher has applied for a patent for the technology.

Read More: Smart Ring Tracks Finger Location for Better Hand Motion Monitoring

First AI Web Content Optimization Platform Just for Writers

Found this article interesting?

Let Sumbo Bello know how much you appreciate this article by clicking the heart icon and by sharing this article on social media.


Profile Image

Sumbo Bello

Sumbo Bello is a creative writer who enjoys creating data-driven content for news sites. In his spare time, he plays basketball and listens to Coldplay.

Comments (0)
Most Recent most recent
You
share Scroll to top

Link Copied Successfully

Sign in

Sign in to access your personalized homepage, follow authors and topics you love, and clap for stories that matter to you.

Sign in with Google Sign in with Facebook

By using our site you agree to our privacy policy.