The smart bandage will be of great help to those who suffer from diabetes
Researchers have created a ‘smart bandage’ that precisely delivers medicine to wounds, monitors wound healing, and speeds up tissue repair.
Researchers at the California Institute of Technology, as well as graduate students in medical engineering at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, reviewed the details of their invention in the journal Science Advances, and it was reported by several media outlets.
According to the researchers, the smart bandage will be of great benefit to those who suffer from diabetes, which often stops or prevents the wound healing process, and this may lead to more serious cases.
And the smart bandage was made of a flexible polymer that contains integrated electronics and medicines, according to the “UPI” news agency.
Sensors on the electronics monitor molecules such as uric acid or lactate and conditions such as the pH level or wound temperature that may indicate inflammation or bacterial infection.
The device can transmit data from the wound wirelessly to a nearby computer or smartphone for review by the patient or a medical professional, as well as deliver an antibiotic or other medication stored inside the dressing directly to the wound. Also, the low-level electric field to stimulate faster healing is an important feature of the invention.
The California Institute of Technology reported that in animal models under laboratory conditions, smart bandages have shown the ability to provide real-time updates about wound conditions, and the results are promising.
Future research will focus on improving bandage technology and testing it on human patients, for later approval if it passes the tests.
