Bandages used to treat chronic wounds present a host of challenges, particularly when they’re removed to examine and clean a wound. While this is necessary, the process can be very painful for the patient, difficult on the clinician, and the wound may become infected due to being exposed. A team of researchers from Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), ETH Zurich, Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM), and University Hospital Zurich set out to create an electronic bandage that can give a glimpse of what’s happening underneath it. This would allow clinical staff to remove the bandage only when necessary, which would let wounds heal longer undisturbed without becoming infected.
The Flusitex (Fluorescence sensing integrated into medical textiles) project, as the collaboration is called, has brought together technology to take advantage of fluorescence to monitor a number of biochemical parameters within wounds. Specifically, the pH level of the wound, as well as its glucose and oxygen concentrations can be continuously tracked while the bandage is in place. Changes in these parameters can provide significant guidance to indicate whether a wound is healing or is inflamed due to an infection.
Sensors for each of the biomarkers on the bottom of the bandage are connected to round color indicators on the surface. These change in relationship to the status of the individual biomarkers, so can be quickly glanced at to get an idea of what the status is. An ultraviolet light can be used to really make the colors stand out to get a more accurate reading.
Study in journal Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical: The pyranine-benzalkonium ion pair: A promising fluorescent system for the ratiometric detection of wound pH…
Via: Empa…
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