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Wound care ound care


Breaking barriers


Over the past few decades, hydrogels have received a lot of attention for treating skin wounds. When applied over a lesion, these special gels can promote healing by absorbing exudates and keeping the wound protected, well-hydrated, and oxygenated. While there’s no shortage of products that aim to create the perfect environment for recovery, recent research in the area has led to hydrogels developed using various interesting materials. Phoebe Galbraith speaks to Kris Killian, associate professor, School of Materials Science & Engineering and School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales and Ryota Teshima, Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo University of Science to fi nd out about the hydrogels they have developed and what makes them a good candidate for wound care.


T


he skin is the body’s largest and most important organ. Subject to a number of injuries from scrapes and grazes to infections and ulcers, it makes sense that wound care is undoubtedly an important caveat of patient healthcare. This is even more important if you consider the skin’s ability to heal declines and becomes frailer as we age, and the increase in ageing population.


Practical Patient Care / www.practical-patient-care.com


With a greater demand for wound care than ever, skin wounds require more effective wound products than the traditional treatment. Traditional wound healing – your typical gauzes and bandages – despite their ability to absorb exudate and protect the wound, aren’t always the best choice when the constant replacement to prevent maceration and adhesion to the wound can be painful for the patient. Modern


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