Trends in the Treatment of Chronic Wounds.

Abstract

Chronic wounds remain one of the significant burdens to health across the world, mainly in view of diabetes and its natural consequences. This category of lesions includes pressure ulcers, vascular diseases, and surgery-related wounds, which affect millions and pose a major challenge to the healthcare industry. The paper reviews the various physiological mechanisms of wound healing, factors that impede it, and some new treatments emerging at this moment. In contrast, current developments include surgical and non-surgical alternatives like topical dressings, medicated formulations, and skin substitutes. Advanced wound care today covers tissue-engineered skin substitutes, 3D-printed wound dressings, topical medicated formulations, and growth factor-based therapies. These are non-invasive, biocompatible methods that are cost-effective, userfriendly, and more conducive to natural healing than traditional therapies. Hydrogel dressings have high water content to create a moist environment that encourages healing. They also reflect excellent physicochemical and biological properties, which enhance autolytic debridement and reduction of pain due to the moisture retention, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity conferred. Tissue-engineered skin substitutes, comprising allogeneic or autologous cells, wound-healing enhancement bioengineered allogeneic cellular therapies are like the natural skin and encourage regeneration. 3D printing allows the production of customized dressings to aid in better treatment. Newer therapies, including bioengineered allogeneic cellular therapies and fish skin grafting, require more clinical trials to confirm safety and efficacy. With such innovations in wound healing technologies and therapies, the future looks quite promising in managing chronic wounds, enhancing healing, reducing healthcare expenditure, and promoting a better quality of life for patients.