Electronic Wound Healing Bandage

2023: Electronic bandage announcement

Northwestern University of the United States on February 22, 2023 announced the development of the first electronic bandage of its kind, which can speed up wound healing by about a third.

The product is a flexible pad that is fixed at the injury site. One side of such a bandage contains two electrodes: a tiny one in the shape of a flower, which is located directly above the wound bed, and a second in the shape of a ring, located on the healthy tissue surrounding the wound. The other side of the patch contains a special coil for powering the system and NFC communication means for wireless data transmission in real time.

Electronic Wound Healing Bandage

The dressing also includes sensors that allow you to remotely track the wound healing process. By controlling the resistance of the electrical current passing through the damage, doctors can observe the progress. The operation of the electronic bandage can be controlled remotely: medical staff can activate electrical stimulation depending on the indicators obtained.

A moist environment is formed during wound healing. Moisture changes the parameters of the electric current, which allows you to control the cure process. We can collect and transmit this information wirelessly. The delay in tissue repair may raise concerns, says Guillermo A. Ameer, one of the authors of the work.

When the wound heals, the flower-shaped electrode simply dissolves into the body, eliminating the need to remove it. This component is made of molybdenum: the researchers found that with a small thickness, this material can biodegrade. Thus, the possibility of repeated damage when removing the bandage is avoided. Research suggests that electrical stimulation for 30 minutes a day can speed up wound healing on the 30%.^[1]

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