The Latest In Wound Care Products And Technology

Wound care products and advanced technological changes in this industry are commonly associated with wounds that form due to medical issues. There are internal wounds that stem from illnesses and external wounds that form as a result of a trauma like accidentally cutting yourself or from a car collision.

Patients who suffer from diabetes, obesity issues, and aging are the majority of people who require constant and consistent medical wound care. The wounds that occur due to these issues are of a critical nature, therefore, any products to care for wounds must always be on top of the latest technology to help improve patient’s lives. Many advancements in the wound care field include just a few of the following:

1. Gel Fillers
Wounds that require a packing treatment like draining wounds, severely infected wounds and wounds that are deeply embedded are impacted with advanced wound gel fillers. The wounds absorb the medicated ingredients within the gel compound. This is generally a two-step process whereby an innovative gel forms a protective coating. A gel filler is very moist to help the wound heal faster. Also, modern medicated gel fillers control the odor that emanates from wounds, plus the gel content helps to control any drainage that seeps from the wound.

2. Hydrogel Wound Dressings
When a wound forms outwardly whether it is an internal would or an external wound, it has a tendency to become dry in nature. The tissues around the wound die and if not treated quickly can cause healthy tissues to become necrotic. A hydrogel wound dressing is designed to remain moist the entire time that it is applied to the skin. Advanced hydrogel dressings allow air to circulate around the wound which is why the dressings or wraps do not stick to the wound.

A hydrogel wound dressing is made-up of hygienic water that helps to keep the wound moisturized. For these reasons, even necrotic wounds that are blackened in color can take on a healing appearance. Keeping a wound moist with the right type of ingredients in a hydrogel compound will begin repairing the wound by taking away the fever of a wound and the pain that you feel at the time. Advanced dressings are available as a spray, medical pads, gauzes, and more.

3. Regenerative Human Skin Wound Treatment
Technology in cellular bio-printing and cellular research have joined forces to create the ability to “print” human skin tissue to treat large epidermis wounds faster than many other solutions. Mixing human cells with hydrogel is the energizing force behind this advancement. The bioprinter is designed to scan the wound to accurately pinpoint where the administered printed skin should be placed.

4. Fluorescence Imaging
Fluorescence imaging is the latest technology in wound care therapy. Through imaging physicians are able to find the exact location of chronic wounds to use the proper treatment for dermis and epidermis healing. As a non-invasive treatment for wound care, fluorescence imaging consists of injecting patients near the wound location with a substance that spreads into the blood vessel.

This highlights the internal wound area with fluorescent 3-D images to ensure that there are no dangerous bacterium that has formed, as well as damaged tissues. The images pinpoint the exact location for wound care treatment. Wounds whether moderate to severe form different levels of bacteria that can cause infections and in some cases like diabetes, the loss of limbs.

5. Electronic/Smart Skin Patches
Modern day electronic skin patches are the equivalent to wearing a Siri integration treatment. Skin patches have been in existence for five years, but its research has evolved very quickly. Electronic skin patches are worn on the outside of the skin. Still in its infancy, smart skin patches uses miniature printed batteries as well as micro-structured electrodes that delivers drugs to wound areas via the skin.

Additionally, electronic skin patches are also designed to connect with smartphone apps to send physicians information on the internal temperature of the wound, the pain level of the patient, and the healing progress of the dead tissues and surrounding environment of the wound. Currently, physicians monitor patients who are diabetics and who suffer cardiovascular issues where wounds can appear beneath and above the skin like ulcers.

6. Lactic Acid Bacteria Wound Healing
The country of Sweden and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences are close to creating a new wound care breakthrough. This medical advancement will be using the lactic acid bacteria that is found in minute amounts on human skin and the skin of fruits and veggies. It is a microorganism that is primarily used to use bacteria to ferment food products like cheese, pickling foods, yogurt, beer, and many other food types.

Researchers and scientists have engineered a lactic acid bacteria that mimics the human body’s own lactic bacteria. When introduced into the site of a wound, it almost instantly regenerates damaged tissues and produces healthier immune cells that keep harmful bacteria at bay, allowing the wound to heal quickly which is healthier for patients.

7. Laser Wound Therapy
Laser Therapy has been used in all types of practices, especially in the cosmetic industry. Presently, using lasers to help heal different types of wounds is seeing great results. The only difference in using lasers for wound healing is that “cold” lasers must be used for wound treatment. Cold laser means that laser settings must be at a low energy range versus what is used in cosmetic surgery.

Laser wound therapy is still an ongoing testing solution which is why the question of exactly how a laser heals wounds is not an exact science. However, researchers believe that a low-level laser range helps to create more collagen that is a vital protein for healing. Laser wound therapy is not the cure-all for healing wounds, but its healing effects are becoming more prominent in many patients with open wounds.

Wound Care Technology
There are many amazing and innovative advances in wound healing with many other solutions turning the corner. Disease producing wounds, military wounds, sports wounds, work-related wounds and more are using and receiving healing support as identified above are healing various types of wounds unlike ever before.

Technology for wound healing is evolving to help patient’s lives become pain-free, errors in treatment are lessened, and there is a faster recovery time. Using a patient’s own skin which the body recognizes, makes healing easier, less complicated, and healthier meaning there can be no infections.

With these wound healing products and technological advancements people will not have to undergo long painful or invasive skin grafts. Wounds from an external force like burns, surgery, or other traumas can be limited to just one application process rather than multiple pain-recovering and intrusive treatments.

This is a guest blog entry.