New hydrogel dressing could facilitate the treatment of burns and cancer. Reported by the University of Waterloo.
Many people with severe burns require constant dressing changes during treatment. Since the bandage adheres to the diseased tissue, tearing it causes great pain and is often difficult to treat.
To overcome this, Boxing Zhao and colleagues developed a new type of polymer dressing. Each bandage is created using a 3D printer, taking into account the shape of the affected skin area. It can also be impregnated with drugs that will be released slowly and enter the skin.
A professor of chemical engineering at Waterloo, Dr. “The material has fine-tuned its key property, adhesion to the surface,” said Boxing Zhao. – The material can be easily adhered to the skin and removed. This was achieved with the help of a good feature selection.
While developing the bandage, the researchers performed 3D scans of the patient’s face and body parts to make sure it fit snugly against the skin. This ensures good contact of the bandage with irregularly shaped surfaces such as the nose and fingers, including the possibility of creating a full-fledged mask. The material is based on a biopolymer derived from seaweed, as well as a heat-sensitive polymer and cellulose nanocrystals.
Potentially, the bandage could also be used to treat cancer. With conventional chemotherapy, the patient may need to stay in the clinic for several hours, which can be tedious and uncomfortable. This dressing can facilitate treatment by providing sustained release of the drug without physician control.