New ‘smart bandage’ tells you if your wound has healed

A new “smart bandage” that will tell doctors if a wound has healed without having to remove it has been developed by researchers.

Currently, doctors have to remove a dressing to check on a wound, which risks causing renewed damage if the injury has not yet sufficiently healed.

The new technology promises to resolve that conundrum by using sensors to inform medical practitioners of when a wound has sufficiently recovered, and when it is safe to remove the bandage.

Swansea University has previously talked about trialling similar technology.

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Bandage transmits data to smartphone

Researchers at the University of Bologna, in Italy, have developed a dressing that can wirelessly transmit information on how moist a wound is, which is a key indicator of the healing process.

The smart bandage contains a sensor that can measure wound moisture levels and is designed to then transmit the data to a nearby smartphone, instead of removing the bandage.

By changing its size and materials, the researchers hope that they will be able to finely tune the technology to suit different types of wounds in the future.

Chronic wounds can be disabling for those who suffer from them and getting them to heal can be a painful and slow process that is made worse by poorly timed bandage removals.

Challenges of healing wounds

Many factors are considered when wounds are healing, such as temperature, glucose levels and acidity.

However, one of the most important is moisture levels. If it is too dry, the tissue can become desiccated - but if it is too wet, the skin becomes white and wrinkly.

Currently, if a clinician needs to check the moisture levels of a wound, they have no choice but to remove the bandage, which could potentially tear the delicate healing skin.

The “smart bandage” offers a way of monitoring wound moisture levels non-invasively.

The research team faced a challenge in their choice of materials, as bandages need to be biocompatible, disposable and inexpensive.

To achieve this, the researchers applied a conductive polymer called PEDOT: PSS onto a gauze using screen printing, and then mixed the gauze with commercially available bandage materials.

Dr Marta Tessarolo, a co-author of the study, said: "PEDOT: PSS is an organic semiconducting polymer that can be easily deposited on several substrates as a standard ink.

"We also incorporated a cheap, disposable and bandage-compatible RFID tag, similar to those used for clothing security tags, into the textile patch.

"The tag can wirelessly communicate moisture level data with a smartphone, allowing healthcare staff to know when a bandage needs to be changed."

To test their bandages, the researchers exposed different bandage materials and shapes against the liquid that seeps from wounds.

They found that the bandage was highly sensitive and provided drastically different readings between dry, moist and saturated conditions, which suggested it could be a valuable tool in chronic wound care management.

Dr Luca Possanzini, another co-author of the study, added: "We developed a range of bandages with various layers and different absorption properties and characteristics.

"The idea is that each type of wound could have its own appropriate dressing, from slowly exuding wounds to highly exuding wounds, such as burns and blisters.

"However, we will need to further optimise the sensor geometry and determine the appropriate sensor values for optimal healing, before we can apply our technology to various types of wounds."

The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Physics.

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