Nanotechnology in Wound Healing

 

Nanotechnology based wound healing includes the ability to use:

• Nanoparticles to induce clotting to reduce bleeding
• Bandages that apply electric pulses to accelerate healing
• Nanoparticles that can reduce internal bleeding

The next section provides examples of the different types of ongoing research in the use of nanotechnology to treat wounds.

Nanotechnology-based  Wound Treatments: Applications under Development

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have demonstrated a bandage that applies electrical pulses to a wound using electricity produced by nanogenerators worn by the patient.

For trauma patients with internal bleeding another way to reduce the blood loss is needed. Researchers at Chase Western Reserve University are developing polymer nanoparticles that act as synthetic platelets. Lab tests have shown that injection of these synthetic platelets significantly reduces blood loss.

Researchers have found that aluminosilicate nanoparticles can reduce bleeding in trauma patients with external wounds by activating the blood clotting mechanism, causing blood in a wound to clot quickly. Z-Medica is producing a medical gauze that uses aluminosilicate nanoparticles for use on external wounds.

Nanofibers can stimulate the production of cartilage in damaged joints. Three different approaches to the use of nanofibers to stimulate cartilage are being taken by researchers at John Hopkins University, at Northwestern University and at the University of Pennsylvania.