Abstract
Chronic exuding wounds continue to present a significant healthcare challenge, with prolonged healing times and an increased risk of complications. The wounds with their complex contours and hard-to-reach areas, can particularly benefit from the advantages offered by free-flowing hydrogel particles. Innovative approaches are needed to enhance the healing process and improve outcomes in wound care. Building upon previous research on piezo-driven electrical stimulation, herein, we introduce self-powered, silver nanoparticles containing electroactive hydrogel particles as an innovative wound dressing specifically designed to fill deep irregular wound cavities. Apart from providing anti-bacterial and a moist wound environment, the hydrogel particles provide electrical stimulation to the wound-bed. The self-powered dressing eliminates the need for an external power source by harnessing the electrical activity from a piezo-responsive polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane, thereby improving patient compliance. The electroactive hydrogel particles exhibited improved cellular responses including cell migration, proliferation and angiogenesis. Accelerated wound closure, increase in collagen synthesis and improvement in angiogenesis was observed in rats treated with the dressing. By elucidating the mechanisms and benefits of this innovative approach, we seek to highlight its potential as an effective and practical solution for the treatment of challenging wounds.
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