Application of conductive hydrogels as multifunctional dressing for wound healing and tissue regeneration

Aim and Background: Nowadays, acute and chronic wounds are a major clinical problem which severely affect the quality of life of patients. Thus, a wound dressing that can enhancing wound healing and preventing scar formation is highly needed. Principal features that each dressing should have include biocompatibility, high water uptake capability, oxygen permeability, suitable tensile strength, and high flexibility. However, there are other properties that significantly affect tissue regeneration in wound site. Conductive hydrogel-based dressings present more unique properties such as antibacterial activity, electro-responsivity, and free radical scavenging capacity. Herein, we reviewed amazing characteristics of conductive hydrogels for using as multifunctional wound dressing.Methods: Thirty available articles about essential wound dressing’s features, the role of bioelectricity in wound healing process, the properties of wound dressings made of conductive hydrogels, and application of these smart biomaterials in wound repairing and preventing scar formation were investigated.Results: According to our studies, conductive hydrogel-based dressings have all the necessary properties to stimulate wound healing without scarring.Conductive polymers have intrinsic antibacterial activity against bacterial strains that are commonly found in infected wounds. On the other hand, electroactive materials are able to regulate cellular behaviors including cell adhesion, orientation, proliferation, migration, and differentiation of electrically excitable cells such as fibroblasts. Furthermore, conductive polymers can be doped with specific agents and controlled release of those agents at the site of the wound would be achieved through the use of an external electrical signal. Another exciting characteristic of conductive hydrogels is that they can be injectable with autonomously self-healing ability. In this way, additional abilities such as in situ encapsulating drugs, filling wound sites and adhering to wounds will be added to the dressing.Conclusion: The use of conductive hydrogels in wound healing presents a novel opportunity for accelerated wound healing, enhanced antibacterial activity, free radical scavenging capacity, and the potential for controlled drug delivery. Electrical stimulation can be applied directly to the wound area by means of conductive hydrogels, which results in faster wound healing and tissue regeneration. Moreover, the release of drugs or biological agents to the wound site can be modulated through the use of an external electrical stimuli.

کلیدواژه ها:

Conductive hydrogels ، Conductive polymers ، Wound dressing ، Antibacterial dressing ، Electrical signals