Smart Bandage With Remote-Control Facility Appears Promising For Chronic Wounds

Chronic wounds affect more than 6 million Americans every year and add up to $20 billion in healthcare costs annually. Poor circulation, infection, edema, inadequate nutrition and repetitive trauma to the wound are some of the major reasons behind wounds that don’t heal. Individuals with diabetes are at a higher chance of suffering from chronic wounds since their high blood glucose levels can lead to poor circulation, making it challenging for the wounds to heal.

Experts at the University of Connecticut have designed a new smart bandage that could be accessed remotely via physicians to help wound heal more efficiently.

How does the smart bandage work?

The novel bandage features miniature needles that can wirelessly deliver medication to a wound. The bandage setup is connected to a smartphone app. Doctors can use the app to monitor and treat their patients' wounds effectively. This can be done remotely without the patient having to consult the doctor at his/her office.

The researchers at the University of Nebraska, who developed the bandage, believe that it could bring a major change in the way chronic wounds are treated.

“This is an important step in engineering advanced bandages that can facilitate the healing of hard to treat wounds. The bandage does not need to be changed continuously," Inverse quoted the study’s lead author Ali Tamayol, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering.

The device can be connected via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi so the doctors have remote access and control the amount and time for administering medicine.

What makes it special?

It can treat the wound according to the stage of healing it is in. Since each healing stage requires a particular kind of medication to aid the healing process, this smart bandage can deliver the necessary medication to the wound at the appropriate time without having to undress the wound and apply the medication.

Since each kind of wound might require different kinds of medication, the doctors can load the smart bandage with whatever medicine he thinks might suit the patient. The small needles help the medication get past the damaged skin and treat it.

Also, since the needles are very small, it isn’t a painful procedure to apply the bandage and doesn’t cause any further damage as well.

The researchers have also tested the bandage on wounded diabetic mice and found that it was very effective at treating their wounds.