bandage

By The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) February 17, 2024A groundbreaking development in bone regeneration has been achieved with the creation of a piezoelectric scaffold by a KAIST-led research team. Utilizing hydroxyapatite (HAp) to generate electrical signals under pressure, this scaffold mimics the natural environment of bone tissue, showing promising results in promoting bone growth through both laboratory and animal studies. This advancement opens new pathways for biomaterial design and…

While infected wounds definitely aren't a good thing, neither is the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria which may occur due to overuse of the drugs. That's where a new type of cotton bandage comes in, as it kills microbes without resorting to antibiotics.Developed by Mohsen Alishahi and colleagues at Cornell University, the bandage incorporates an organic compound called lawsone (aka hennotannic acid).This substance occurs naturally in henna leaves, and is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and…

Researchers have successfully regenerated damaged skull bones in mice by creating a freestanding, biomimetic scaffold that combines a piezoelectric framework and the growth-promoting properties of a naturally occurring mineral. The novel “bone bandage” has wide-ranging potential applications for bone regeneration and regenerative medicine generally.Piezoelectric materials generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress. Bone is a piezoelectric material. Because it possesses an electrical…

It's certainly ironic that in order to see how a wound is healing, the dressing has to be removed, potentially setting back the healing process. A clever new bandage, however, continuously shows how the wound is faring – without needing a power source.Developed by a team of scientists at the National University of Singapore, the experimental dressing is known as the PETAL (Paper-like Battery-free In situ AI-enabled Multiplexed) sensor patch. Along with being a bit of a forced acronym, the bandage's name also refers to the…

A close-up look at the bandage’s two electrodes: : A tiny flower-shaped electrode that sits right on top of the wound bed and a ring-shaped electrode that sits on healthy tissue to surround the entire wound. Credit: Northwestern UniversityThe bandage also keeps track of the healing process and informs healthcare professionals of any problems in real-time.Wireless, battery-free bandage delivers electrical signals to help wounds healBandage monitors healing, streaming data in real-time to a smartphone or tabletAfter healing…

If left untreated, chronic wounds such as diabetic skin ulcers can become infected, ultimately leading to amputations or even death. An experimental new "smart" bandage is designed to help keep that from happening, by both watching and treating such injuries.Taking the form of an electronic skin-adhered patch, the dressing is being developed at the California Institute of Technology by a team led by Asst. Prof. Wei Gao.It incorporates a flexible, stretchable, biocompatible polymer substrate, on the underside of which is…

The days of ripping off a Band-Aid could soon be in the past, with scientists creating a new affordable, flexible electronic covering that not only speeds and wirelessly monitors healing but performs a disappearing act by being harmlessly absorbed into the body when its job is done.“Although it’s an electronic device, the active components that interface with the wound bed are entirely resorbable,” said Northwestern University’s John A. Rogers, who co-led the study. “As such, the materials disappear naturally after the…

Waiting on a wound to heal can not only take a while, but it can also leave you with long-lasting scar tissue as a reminder of the wound. While we have seen tech in the past that looks to minimize scarring, researchers are still looking for ways to speed up healing as a whole. Now, that answer may be closer than ever, as Stanford scientists have created a smart bandage. The smart bandage combines biosensors and wireless electrical stimulation to help patients with slow-to-heal injuries recover faster. The tech,…

Chronic wounds such as diabetic skin ulcers can be very slow to heal, potentially leading to amputations or sometimes even death. A new bandage could speed their healing by delivering electrical stimulation, but only as needed.Created by scientists at Stanford University, the prototype device is made up of two layers. On top is a polymer film just 100 microns thick, upon which the electronic components are mounted. On the underside of that film is the other layer, a "rubbery, skin-like" hydrogel which lies in contact with…

Getting a bandage to stick to your skin can sometimes be difficult, particularly if that skin is wet. This isn't a problem with an experimental new wound dressing however, which uses ultrasound-induced microbubbles to better bond with the skin.Developed by a team led by Canada's McGill University, the dressing itself takes the form of a thin sheet of clear hydrogel – it's made of either polyacrylamide or poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) polymers, along with seaweed-derived alginate gel. That hydrogel is combined with a liquid…