In this era of technology, every day a new invention is heard of with a word smart as a prefix; smart TV, smart lock, smartwatch, smartphones, etc. but what about the health sector?
Do we have any SMART INVENTION here? Yes, we do. One of those is the smart bandage.
Smart bandages have a prime aim of healing chronic wounds effortlessly. Chronic wounds emerge due to disrupted healing mechanisms creating an unfavourable hypoxic environment with a lack of optimal angiogenesis and improper immunomodulation. Worldwide, millions have fallen victim to the adversities of chronic wounds making it a major health hazard.
This led the researchers from Tufts University, Purdue University, and Harvard Medical School to come up with a smart bandage that can cater to chronic wounds such as burns, diabetes, peripheral vascular diseases, etc. Inadequate and improper healing of chronic wounds can lead to a dire need of amputation therefore, smart bandages are designed to actively heal in real-time. This module with tiny needles can deliver therapeutic factors and multiple pharmaceutical agents remotely to enhance the healing process.
The prototype of smart bandage is equipped with sensors to detect pH levels and measure temperature which are indicators of infection and inflammation. The pH of a wound reflects the progress of the healing process. A pH between 5.5 and 6.5 is seen in a wound that is normally healing and values above 6.5 reflect a non-healing infected wound. Sensors of detecting oxygenation have also been developed by the researchers which can be incorporated in the smart bandage for even better effectivity. The sensors send the recorded information to the microprocessors which transcribe the data and send via Bluetooth to a mobile device to stimulate the customized drug release protocol.
This system is wirelessly controlled through the mobile application, using which the physician or the patient can determine the time and quantity of the drug to be delivered. Moreover, unlike traditional bandages, this smart bandage doesn’t require to be changed regularly i.e. it is reusable making it cost-effective.
With so many sensors embedded in a bandage, it must be thick and ugly!
No, that’s not the case with a smart bandage.
Are smartphones and smart TVs more presentable or old-age obese TV?
Similarly smart bandage, despite the sensors is a transparent flexible medical tape that is no more than 3mm.
After its in-vitro trials, researchers are constantly eager to take it to the next level so humans can be facilitated with a smart and effective wound healing process using smart bandages
REFERENCES:
Mostafalu, P., Tamayol, A., Rahimi, R., Ochoa, M., Khalilpour, A., Kiaee, G., Yazdi, I.K., Bagherifard, S., Dokmeci, M.R., Ziaie, B., Sonkusale, S.R., Khademhosseini, A., “Smart bandage for monitoring and treatment of chronic wounds,” Small, (2018). DOI: 10.1002/smll.201703509
Mostafalu P, T. A. (2018, July o6). Smart Bandage for Monitoring and Treatment of Chronic Wounds. Retrieved from PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29978547
