Wound care
Hydrogels are increasingly receiving attention for their high water content and biocompatibility – and subsequent wound- healing abilities.
stresses, so its application as a non-adhesive wound dressing just made sense. Conventional gelation methods used to prepare hydrogels usually include an acidic agent to induce a gelation reaction of alginate by generating Ca2+
from CaCO3
site.” The only drawback Teshima indicates in the development of his hydrogel is the cost, however, as it has yet to be produced at a lower cost compared to other clinical formulations.
. However, this
risks acidification of the gel and damaging tissues and cells. So, Teshima developed a novel gelation method that uses carbonated water.
“By using carbonated water as a substitute for the conventional acidic agent, I have demonstrated that the acidic substance (such as carbon dioxide) in the hydrogel is released to the atmosphere after gelation, thereby preventing acidification of the gel,” he explains. This is the same as carbon dioxide released from Coca-Cola and soda. After evaluating the biocompatibility and cell adhesion of the prepared hydrogels on NHDF cells (human dermal fibroblasts), the viability of the NHDF cells co-cultured with hydrogels was almost 100% with indications of low cell adhesion on the prepared hydrogel surface. “These results demonstrate that the prepared alginate hydrogel has sufficiently high biocompatibility and low cell adhesion as a wound dressing material.”
When compared with a wound dressing in clinical use, VIEW GEL, Teshima’s hydrogel demonstrated lower adhesion and swelling, and in a study using mice the low adhesion and low swelling of his hydrogel compared with VIEW GEL were shown to inhibit wound site expansion due to the gel swelling, which is the opposite of conventional wound-healing gels. “The greatest benefit of this hydrogel is that it suppresses the wound expansion,” he explains. While the detrimental effects of this expansion have yet to be demonstrated, Teshima imagines it would be painful for the patient. “I believe that this hydrogel is an attractive hydrogel that can promote wound healing without unnecessary physical stress to the wound
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Understanding what doctors want Both Teshima and Killian are hopeful for the road ahead, but it is not without challenges. For Teshima, there is still more research to be done to anticipate whether the developed hydrogel can help skin tissue build up nicely. “In the published paper, we determined wound closure from visual and image-calculated areas,” he explained. “We intend to continue our research on how to quickly and cleanly heal wounds while suppressing unnecessary expansion of the wound site.”
For Killian, the hardest part is getting the format right and understanding what doctors need. While he may think it’s perfect, he explains, doctors are the ones who use it and may have different needs than anticipated. “I think a lot of challenges are just getting the composition right and formulation, and convincing doctors that it’s something they need.” Not to mention the added caveat of manufacturing and the right logistics. “I’m pretty confident,” he stresses, “but we have to do due diligence and this is what the animal trial will help us do.” Hydrogels are clearly an excellent medical material for wound healing and Killian is confident that his hydrogel is one such material, with the potential for a range of procedures and even for patients to use at home as an antimicrobial cream. For Teshima’s hydrogel, already tested in clinical applications elsewhere, he is similarly confident that future medical professionals will use this gel to its full potential for tailor-made medical care. The possibilities of these two hydrogels in wound healing are clear, only time will tell if they reach their potential.
Practical Patient Care /
www.practical-patient-care.com
Seeds of the future/
Shutterstock.com
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