Hydrogel pad to treat burns and cancer

2023: Start Printing Bandages for Cancer Treatment

On June 6, 2023, Canadian researchers at Waterloo University reported on the development of an innovative dressing designed to improve the process of tissue repair after burns. In addition, the device can be used for drug delivery during therapy of malignancies.

Scientists say that one of the difficulties in treating patients with burns is the need to change bandages often, but this procedure can be extremely painful. The proposed material partially solves this problem. The created hydrogel pad consists of a seaweed-based biopolymer, a heat-sensitive polymer and cellulose nanocrystals.

Hydrogel pad to treat burns and cancer

Due to the prolonged release of drugs when using the dressing, pain is reduced. There is talk of improved adhesion, which makes it easy to apply material to a damaged area. In addition, when cooled, the bandage expands, and at body temperature it contracts to a smaller size, which facilitates its removal and reduces pain.

The material can also be used in the treatment of cancer. With traditional methods, the patient may require an extended stay in the clinic, which can be tedious and uncomfortable. The new dressing may provide a permanent release of the drug outside the health facility.

The process of making a new type of bandages provides for the use of a 3D printing method. First, a volumetric scan of the face and/or other parts of the patient's body is performed. Then, on the basis of the received information, a model of an individual lining is formed, which accurately takes into account anatomical features. This allows the bandage to come into good contact with surfaces such as the nose and fingers.^[1]

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