A Stretchable And Multifunctional Wound Dressing In Movable Parts

The treatment of wounds that develop on moving parts of the body is considered a challenge due to poor mechanical matching and secondary injury caused by continuous motion and inflammation. In order to overcome the limitations of existing wound dressings, this study developed a new stretchable and multifunctional antibacterial hydrogel dressing to accelerate healing process. A novel hydrogel dressing utilizing the dual cross-linking of chitosan and acrylic acid and modified with caffeic acid and aloin was developed. This study conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the dressing through a series of physico-chemical characterizations, biocompatibility and functional assessments. Furthermore, bioinformatics analyses were utilized to elucidate its underlying mechanisms. Mechanical testing demonstrated that the hydrogel possessed excellent stretching capability (of approximately 869%) combined with outstanding adhesion (about 56 kPa), contributing to its compatibility with moving parts and allowing complete coverage of wound sites without limiting joint and organ motion. Bioinformatics analysis confirmed that use of the hydrogel resulted in upregulated expression of multiple genes related to angiogenesis and cell proliferation. Antibacterial testing indicated that the dressing suppressed the growth of E.coli and MRSA, providing a better microenvironment for wound healing. An wound defect model in SD rats on movable skin verified that the wound healing observed with the hydrogel dressing was superior to that observed with a commercially available dressing. Taken together, the results suggest that this stretchable multifunctional hydrogel dressing represents a promising alternative wound dressing with therapeutic potential for superior healing, especially for moving parts of the body.