A self-pumping dressing with in situ modification of non-woven fabric for promoting diabetic wound healing

Abstract

The improper management of wound exudate around the diabetic wound bed is one of the major factors leading to delay diabetic wound healing. However, the limited water absorption of single-layer conventional dressings unavoidably maintains excessive exudate in the diabetic wound bed. Herein, a novel diabetic wound dressing is reported for achieving rapid wound healing by electrospinning hydrophobic nanofibers on a hydrophilic modified non-woven fabric. The double-layer structure of the self-pumping dressing possesses unidirectional fluid transportation to divert excessive exudate away from diabetic wounds, ultimately promoting wound healing. The hydrophilic modified non-woven fabric provides water absorption and moisture retention to absorb excess exudate passing through the hydrophobic nanofiber, thereby preventing the wound bed from rewetting. Moreover, the formation of depressions on the hydrophobic nanofiber surfaces serves as water channels to further drain wound exudate from the wound bed. In vivo wound studies confirm that the self-pumping dressing exhibits excellent unidirectional wound exudate delivery and wound moisturization. Thus, diabetic wound healing shows a low inflammatory response and excellent wound healing quality. This self-pumping dressing exhibits clinical significance to design and fabricate a next-generation dressing for diabetic wound healing.