Researchers from the University of South Australia have developed plasma-coated bandages with the ability to attack infection and inflammation to aid in the treatment of chronic wounds such as pressure, diabetic or vascular ulcers that won’t heal on their own.
The bandage features a coating comprised of a special antioxidant that can be applied to any wound dressing to simultaneously reduce wound inflammation and break up infection to aid in wound repair.
According to lead researcher Dr Thomas Michl, from UniSA STEM, upgrading current dressings with this coating could promote effective healing on chronic wounds and reduce patient suffering.
“Proper care for chronic wounds requires frequent changes of wound dressings but currently, these wound dressings are passive actors in wound management,” he says, in a media release from University of South Australia. “Our novel coatings change this, turning any wound dressing into an active participant in the healing process – not only covering and protecting the wound, but also knocking down excessive inflammation and infection.”
The technology is highly scalable and sustainable, making it a viable option for broad application worldwide.
The team is now investigating the shelf-life of the coatings with encouraging results. Next steps are pre-clinical trials with products potentially available in two to three years, per the release.
[Source(s): University of South Australia, Newswise]
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