Progress of Hydrogel Dressings with Wound Monitoring and Treatment Functions

Abstract

Hydrogels are widely used in wound dressings due to their moisturizing properties and biocompatibility. However, traditional hydrogel dressings cannot monitor wounds and provide accurate treatment. Recent advancements focus on hydrogel dressings with integrated monitoring and treatment functions, using sensors or intelligent materials to detect changes in the wound microenvironment. These dressings enable responsive treatment to promote wound healing. They can carry out responsive dynamic treatment in time to effectively promote wound healing. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive reviews of hydrogel wound dressings that incorporate both wound micro-environment monitoring and treatment functions. Therefore, this review categorizes hydrogel dressings according to wound types and examines their current status, progress, challenges, and future trends. It discusses various wound types, including infected wounds, burns, and diabetic and pressure ulcers, and explores the wound healing process. The review presents hydrogel dressings that monitor wound conditions and provide tailored treatment, such as pH-sensitive, temperature-sensitive, glucose-sensitive, pressure-sensitive, and nano-composite hydrogel dressings. Challenges include developing dressings that meet the standards of excellent biocompatibility, improving monitoring accuracy and sensitivity, and overcoming obstacles to production and commercialization. Furthermore, it provides the current status, progress, challenges, and future trends in this field, aiming to give a clear view of its past, present, and future.

Functional Hydrogels for Delivery of the Proteolytic Enzyme Serratiopeptidase

“…Such materials resemble the extracellular matrix (ECM) and are therefore widely used as carriers of drugs, peptides, and proteins or as components for the preparation of protein or enzyme conjugates. Hydrogels are superior wound dressings because they can provide protection and hydration of the wound, as well as the controlled release of therapeutic substances to aid tissue regeneration and the healing process [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Hydrogels can be fabricated from natural and/or synthetic polymers, monomers, and combinations of them.…”

“…pH-sensitive hydrogels have acquired great interest in the controlled delivery of drugs at specific conditions, including pH changes [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. The pH of healthy skin is slightly acidic (4.8 to 5.7), but when the skin is damaged and infected, the pH of the wound microenvironment is higher [ 4 ].…”

Facile and cost-effective fabrication of wearable alpha-naphtholphthalein-based halochromic sensor for wound pH monitoring

“…These functions include protecting the body against the invasion of harmful agents like bacteria and toxins, as well as regulating body temperature and moisture levels through the secretion of sweat [1][2][3]. In general, healthy skin is autonomously regulated at a slightly acidic pH of 4-6 via secretion of sweat and sebum [1,[4][5][6][7][8]. This slightly-acidic environment serves as an effective barrier against most bacteria and microorganisms, which tend to thrive in alkaline conditions.…”

“…Additionally, when the pH surpasses 7.0, enzymes responsible for breaking down proteins within the skin become activated. This can delay the recovery process and result in more severe damage to the skin [5,7]. Consequently, patients suffering from chronic skin conditions like atopic dermatitis, or those with temporary skin damage from external factors, such as traffic accidents or surgery, require precise monitoring of skin pH to ensure prompt and effective recovery of the wound [12][13][14].…”