A team of scientists at a trio of Swedish universities have developed a futuristic wound dressing that is designed to be able to alert wearers and medical professionals to the potential presence of an infection by changing its color.
This wound dressing is made of a special nano-cellulose mesh that is sheathed in porous silica that is infused with bromthymol blue dye. When an infection occurs, the pH levels of the wound typically increase even before tell-tale symptoms such as swelling make themselves known. When the pH level exceeds a certain point, the BTB dye is transformed from its low-pH yellow color to its high-pH blue.
"Being able to see instantly whether a wound has become infected, without having to lift the dressing, opens up for a new type of wound care that can lead to more efficient care and improve life for patients with hard-to-heal wounds," said professor Daniel Aili of Linkoping University, adding that it could also help reduce reliance on antibiotics.
Color-Changing Wound Dressings
This Dressing Turns From Yellow to Blue Upon Detecting Infection
Trend Themes
1. Color-changing Medical Devices - Medical device manufacturers can develop wearables and implants that alert wearers and medical professionals to the potential presence of an infection by changing color.
2. Nanomaterial Wound Care - Nanotechnology companies can develop wound care materials using nano-cellulose mesh that can improve efficiency and reduce reliance on traditional antibiotics.
3. Smart Infection Detection - Technology companies can develop smart medical devices that can detect infections in real-time, enabling earlier intervention and a more efficient standard of medical care.
Industry Implications
1. Medical Devices - Medical device manufacturers can leverage color-changing technology to develop innovative new products or improve current offerings, including wearables and implants.
2. Wound Care - Wound care companies can adopt nano-cellulose mesh dressings to develop and commercialize specialized wound dressings that use advanced technology to detect infections and improve healing.
3. Pharmaceuticals - Pharmaceutical companies can explore the potential for new antibiotic-free treatment options for hard-to-heal wounds and other bacterial infections, augmenting wound care regimens to promote better overall health outcomes.