Polyurethane Foam-based Wound Dressings and their Potential Applications and Challenges in Wound Healing

Wound healing is an intricate biological process that is supported by well-coordinated cellular activities along with the influence of various factors, such as infection at the site of the wound, comorbidities, and lifestyle habits. Non-healing wounds pose a significant global health concern, with a substantial impact on healthcare resources and patient well-being. Wound dressings play a crucial role in creating an optimal microenvironment for healing, and the selection of an appropriate dressing is imperative to ensure faster healing and improved patient outcomes. Polyurethane (PU) foam based wound dressings have gained considerable attention owing to their versatile properties and potential applications in wound care. PU foam dressings are known for their high absorbency in managing moderate to heavy exudate, ability to maintain a moist wound environment, comfort, flexibility, and non-adherent properties. PU is the preferred substrate material for dressings because of its customizable mechanical properties, excellent biocompatibility, and low toxicity. Several studies have explored the use of polyurethane foam-based wound dressings and have highlighted their potential benefits and limitations. Despite the promising results of previous studies, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding of the applications and challenges of PU foam-based wound dressings in wound healing. This review aims to address the knowledge gap by providing an update on the current state of research on polyurethane foambased wound dressings and their potential applications and challenges in wound healing.