Engineering news
Developed by researchers at the University of Bologna in Italy, the technology could help doctors monitor wounds more efficiently and successfully.
Chronic wounds can be a source of significant suffering for patients. Getting them to heal can be a difficult process, affected by factors including temperature, glucose levels, and acidity. One of the most important is moisture levels. The wound being too wet or dry can disrupt the healing process, but if a doctor wants to check moisture levels they need to remove the bandage – potentially damaging the delicate tissue.
That issue inspired the smart bandage, providing a way to monitor wound moisture levels non-invasively. The choice of materials was a challenge, however, as bandages need to be biocompatible, disposable and inexpensive.
To achieve this, the researchers screen printed a conductive polymer called poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) onto a gauze, and then incorporated the gauze into commercially available bandage materials. Changes in the moisture level of the wound cause a change in the electrical signal measured by the sensor.
“PEDOT:PSS is an organic semiconducting polymer that can be easily deposited on several substrates as a standard ink,” said study author Dr Marta Tessarolo. “We also incorporated a cheap, disposable and bandage-compatible RFID tag, similar to those used for clothing security tags, into the textile patch. The tag can wirelessly communicate moisture level data with a smartphone, allowing healthcare staff to know when a bandage needs to be changed.”
To test their bandages, the researchers exposed them to artificial wound moisture. They found the bandage was highly sensitive, providing drastically different readings between dry, moist and saturated conditions, suggesting it could be a valuable tool in wound management.
“We developed a range of bandages with various layers and different absorption properties and characteristics,” said fellow author Dr Luca Possanzini. “The idea is that each type of wound could have its own appropriate dressing... such as burns and blisters. However, we will need to further optimise the sensor geometry and determine the appropriate sensor values for optimal healing before we can apply our technology to various types of wounds.”
The research was published in Frontiers in Physics.
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