The Future of Wound Care: Why Nanofibers are Key to Accelerated Healing

According to a report published by Markets and Markets, the worldwide wound care market is predicted to rise to $27 billion by 2025.¹ Amid this growing ecosystem, conventional approaches to wound care are being dominated by emerging technologies.

Image Credit: Yurchanka Siarhei/Shutterstock.com

Nanofiber technology is seeking to change the landscape.² This article explores the unique relationship between nanofibers and accelerated healing to redefine the healing process.

The Limitations of Traditional Wound Care

Reports suggest that traditional wound care is projected to see a decline in its growth rate, hovering at a compound annual growth rate of only 7.5 % by 2031.³ Although gauze, bandages, and antiseptics have long been essential in wound care, they are no longer adequate in a world that desires fast and effective healing solutions.

Nanofibers assist in wound healing through the following:

• Infection control: Conventional approaches frequently fail to prevent bacterial infections, resulting in complex healing processes.
• Healing speed: Inhibited healing rates result in prolonged periods of discomfort and potential patient complications.
• Bacterial resistance: Traditional approaches typically lack dynamic mechanisms to fight bacterial infections, resulting in complications and extended healing times.
• Economic considerations: The longer healing process and potential for complications lead to higher healthcare expenses, generating a need for more cost-effective options.

Introduction to Nanofibers

Nanofibers have diameters measuring less than 100 nm and provide a vast surface area that can be customized for specific medical use cases,⁴ transforming the world of wound care.

The Convergence of Nanofibers and Traditional Wound Care

Merging nanofibers with current wound care practices is proving revolutionary. Electrospun nanofibers have a vast specific surface, high porosity, favorable mechanical characteristics, and superb biocompatibility, which are advantageous for wound moisturizing, cell growth and respiration, and skin regeneration.^5,6

Nano-based therapeutics for wound healing show great promise. Beyond conventional commercial products, they can accelerate the healing process and reduce the chance of infection. Their benefits include:

Enhanced drug delivery: Nanofibers can carry antibiotics or other medical agents and deliver them directly to wounds. A study in the Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine showed a 40 % increase in drug penetration with nanofiber dressings.⁷

Bakhsheshi-Rad et al. created gentamycin-loaded chitosan-alginate fibers that promoted wound healing and had good antibacterial effects. Moxifloxacin-loaded chitosan/polyethylene oxide (PEO) nanofibers were also developed to improve healing and antibacterial activity.⁸

Extended longevity: Nanofiber dressings can help wounds heal longer by reducing bacterial contamination and inflammation, which may reduce the need for frequent dressing changes.

A composite of polylactic acid/cellulose acetate/PEO with an active sulphonamide agent showed antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.⁹ Another composite of polycaprolactone (PCL)/poly-l-lactic acid or PCL/poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide), with Arrabidaea chica extract, also showed anti-inflammatory properties.¹⁰

Precision healing: Nanofibers’ special structure allows precise drug delivery, making them effective for treating complex wounds. Table 1 below highlights the advantages of different spinning techniques in medical applications.

Biocompatibility: Nanofibers are often made from materials compatible with the body, reducing the risk of allergic reactions. Jiang et al. developed a PCL/gelatin composite scaffold that improved cell attachment, showing promise for vascular tissue engineering.¹²

Pezeshki-Modaress et al. created gelatin/glycosaminoglycan nanofibrous mats that work well for tissue engineering in skin, cartilage, and cornea applications.¹³

Eco-friendly: Many nanofibers are biodegradable, supporting the demand for sustainable medical products. Park et al. created an electrospun chitosan-cellulose mesh with antibacterial properties, which is ideal for treating skin ulcers.¹⁴ Miao et al. also made cellulose, PMMA, and chitosan fibers for anti-infective bandages.¹⁵

Table 1. Comparison of Various Spinning Techniques, Their Resulting Fiber Structures, and Advantages for Medical Applications ¹¹. Source: ELMARCO

The Future of Wound Care with Nanofibers

Wound dressings are evolving from passive barriers to active, self-adjusting treatments. Nanofiber-based materials enable dressings that can release antibiotics in response to bacterial infection or change color to indicate the stage of healing.

This shift represents a major advancement that could replace traditional wound care, leading to faster, more effective healing.

Conclusions

Nanofibers are leading a major shift in wound care, changing how we treat and heal wounds. This is a huge leap forward, driven by advanced science that befits individual patients and healthcare systems worldwide.

Nanofibers make healing faster, safer, and more efficient while making wound care smarter and more sustainable.

In a world where time matters, nanofibers are changing how we approach healing, making advanced care the standard and supporting patient health and the environment.

References and Further Reading

1. Wound Care Market Revenue Trends and Growth Drivers. MarketsandMarkets n.d. https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/wound-care-market-371.html (accessed September 8, 2023).
2. Ataide, J.A., et al. (2022). Nanotechnology-Based Dressings for Wound Management. Pharmaceuticals, [online] 15(10), p.1286. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph15101286.
3. Bioactive Wound Care Market to Exhibit 7.5% CAGR by 2031, Transforming Wound Healing Approaches Globally. MarketWatch n.d. https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/bioactive-wound-care-market-to-exhibit-7-5-cagr-by-2031-transforming-wound-healing-approaches-globally-acbbda9a (accessed September 8, 2023).
4. Bartels VT. Handbook of Medical Textiles. 2011. https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9781845696917/handbook-of-medical-textiles
5. Laezza, A., et al. (2022). Polysaccharide-Enriched Electrospun Nanofibers for Salicylic Acid Controlled Release. ACS Applied Engineering Materials, 1(1), pp.508–518. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaenm.2c00119.
6. Muhammad Qamar Khan, et al. (2018). Nanofibers for Medical Textiles. Springer eBooks, pp.1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42789-8_57-1.
7. Duan, X., Chen, H. and Guo, C. (2022). Polymeric Nanofibers for Drug Delivery Applications: A Recent Review. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 33(12). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-022-06700-4.
8. Bakhsheshi-Rad, H.R., et al. (2020). In vitro and in vivo evaluation of chitosan-alginate/gentamicin wound dressing nanofibrous with high antibacterial performance. Polymer Testing, 82, p.106298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymertesting.2019.106298.
9. Chen, K., et al. (2022). Recent advances in electrospun nanofibers for wound dressing. European Polymer Journal, 178, p.111490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2022.111490.
10. Lonetá Lauro Lima, et al. (2019). Coated electrospun bioactive wound dressings: Mechanical properties and ability to control lesion microenvironment. Materials science & engineering. C, Biomimetic materials, sensors and systems, 100, pp.493–504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2019.03.005.
11. Barhoum, A., Bechelany, M. and Makhlouf, A.S.H. eds., (2019). Handbook of Nanofibers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53655-2.
12. Jiang, Y.-C., et al. (2016). Electrospun polycaprolactone/gelatin composites with enhanced cell–matrix interactions as blood vessel endothelial layer scaffolds. Materials Science and Engineering C, 71, pp.901–908. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2016.10.083.
13. Pezeshki-Modaress, M., Mirzadeh, H. and Zandi, M. (2015). Gelatin–GAG electrospun nanofibrous scaffold for skin tissue engineering: Fabrication and modeling of process parameters. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 48, pp.704–712. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2014.12.023.
14. Tae Joon Park, et al. (2011). Native chitosan/cellulose composite fibers from an ionic liquid via electrospinning. Macromolecular Research, 19(3), pp.213–215. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13233-011-0315-0.
15. Miao, J., et al. (2011). Lysostaphin-functionalized cellulose fibers with antistaphylococcal activity for wound healing applications. Biomaterials, 32(36), pp.9557–9567. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2011.08.080.

This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by ELMARCO.

For more information on this source, please visit ELMARCO.