Intelligent bandage for multiple monitoring and combined treatment of infected wounds. Image source: California Institute of Technology [Editor in Chief] US researchers have developed a new stretchable wireless bioelectronic system that can be used to monitor chronic infected wounds and promote healing through electrical stimulation and drug treatment of the wound site. Researchers have demonstrated that the device can easily adhere to the skin and accelerate wound healing in diabetes mice. In the United States alone, chronic wounds that do not heal affect more than 60000 people, adding more than $700 million in medical expenses to people suffering from diabetes ulcers, burns, surgical complications and other diseases. Current methods of treating chronic wounds may be invasive, as bacterial infections are common and hinder their original healing, sometimes leading to serious illness and death. Although there are reports that electrical stimulation can accelerate wound healing, existing devices are bulky and not practical. Recent advances in bioelectronics have enabled people to use flexible wearable biosensors to treat chronic wounds. These sensors can monitor wounds using physiological markers such as pH, temperature, or glucose. However, it is unclear whether these devices are effective in practice. The research team has newly designed a wireless bioelectronic patch made of flexible printed circuit board, which can be customized to monitor the healing process and several physiological biomarkers of infection onset, control drug delivery through electroactive hydrogel, and apply voltage through electrical stimulation to promote wound healing. The researchers tested the device on freely moving diabetes mice and found that it showed strong adhesion, extensibility and flexibility, and could accelerate wound healing within 25 days. The researchers concluded that custom designed, fully integrated wearable patches can serve as a more effective, fully controllable, and easily implemented platform for personalized monitoring and treatment of chronic wounds with minimal side effects. We are all familiar with band-aids, which fit the skin and are lightweight and soft. Combined with the emerging flexible electronic technology, band-aids have achieved a "gorgeous upgrade" and become a tall, flexible electronic intelligent wearable product. The use of such products is not only limited to monitoring and healing wounds, but also for monitoring health indicators such as blood pressure, blood sugar, heart rate, and sleep quality. It is worth pointing out that many flexible electronic products are still in the laboratory stage, and further efforts need to be made in terms of landing applications and achieving mass production. (Liao Xinshe)
Edit：Ying Ying Responsible editor：Shen Chen
Source：digitalpaper.stdaily.com
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