Bacterial Nanocellulose Wound Dressings with Gentamicin-Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles for Surgical Site Infection Management

Surgical-site infections (SSIs) represent a significant healthcare burden, often complicating wound healing and recovery. To overcome the limitations of systemic antibiotic administration, such as toxicity and poor localization, this study aimed to develop a bioactive dressing utilizing bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) impregnated with gentamicin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (GNP). Chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized via ionic gelation with sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) and optimized using a one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) approach to control particle size, polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta potential. The optimized nanoparticles were impregnated into BNC disks, and the resulting composite was characterized using FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, XRD and SEM. Antimicrobial efficacy was evaluated against <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>, while biocompatibility was assessed using MTT assays and cell-adhesion studies on human fibroblasts. The optimization process yielded stable, monodisperse nanoparticles with a mean size of 80.07 nm and a PDI of 0.192. SEM imaging confirmed the successful integration of nanoparticles into the BNC nanofibrillar network without compromising the membrane's structural integrity. The BNC-GNP composite demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against <i>K. pneumoniae</i>, comparable to free gentamicin solution. Furthermore, in vitro studies revealed good biocompatibility, with cell viability exceeding 70% and sustained fibroblast adhesion, although cell-attachment density decreased with higher nanoparticle concentrations. The developed BNC dressing containing gentamicin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles presents a promising multifunctional biomaterial. It effectively combines local infection control with a biocompatible environment suitable for tissue regeneration, offering a novel approach for the postoperative treatment of surgical-site infections.