Integrated Wound Recognition in Bandages for Intelligent Treatment.

Abstract

The mismatch between irregular wounds and fixed dressings is an important but long-neglected problem in wound management, which may cause imprecise or incomplete care outcomes. Continuous advances in the internet, Internet of Things, and materials science put forward higher requirements in precise wound treatment. Herein, an integrated wound recognition strategy is demonstrated by extracting digital geometric information of specific irregular wounds. Such online wound image scanning and recognition integrated with offline intelligent material fabrication can greatly reduce incomplete wound closure or potential irritation toward normal tissue around the wound site. As a proof-of-concept, an active matrix of Ag-modified gelatin on bandages demonstrates promising antibacterial properties for practical application. In vivo mouse experiment reveals that wound-customized bands enable precisely fitting in the irregular wound bed, resulting in accelerating wound healing efficiency. Such wound recognitions in a bandage involve multidisciplinary technology including image identification, computer modeling nanomaterial fabrication and modification, presenting a broad potential of personalized wound healthcare for a wide variety of clinical applications.