Advancements in Electrospun Polymeric Nanofibers for Wound Dressing Applications: A Comprehensive Review

Polymeric nanofibers developed by electrospinning have a large specific surface area, an interconnected porous structure, flexible mechanical properties, and the ability to mimic the extracellular matrix of skin, which make them potential materials for wound dressing. Conventional wound dressings do not retain moisture, have no gas permeability, antibacterial activity, or tissue regeneration support. Thus, to overcome the deficiencies, the development of multifunctional wound care remedies is needed. Electrospinning received much attention as a versatile and adaptable technology to produce nanofibrous scaffolds with controllable structure and controlled drug release. The large-scale industrial manufacturing, however, requires major expenditures related with particular equipment, process optimization and quality control, whereas it is quite inexpensive for laboratory-scale production. Chitosan, gelatin, hyaluronic acid, polycaprolactone (PCL), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-based nanofibers for wound healing are fabricated. Recent advances in electrospinning techniques such as coaxial, Janus, side-by-side, and tri-fluid are critically summarized with emphasis on drug encapsulation efficiency, controlled release behavior, and design of multifunctional wound dressings discussed in this review. Bioactive substances, antimicrobial compounds, nanoparticles, and growth factors are incorporated into nanofibrous scaffolds to enhance antibacterial properties, angiogenesis, tissue regeneration, and wound healing. Multi-functional and precise wound dressing systems for improved acute and chronic wound healing can be designed using electrospun polymeric nanofibers.