Jonathan Chadwick for Mailonline

Published: October 25, 2021 06:28 EST | Updated: October 25, 2021 06:32 EST

A new "smart bandage" can tell doctors when a wound has healed without them having to check it first. 

The bandage was developed by scientists at the University of Bologna in Italy and is equipped with a sensor that can read the moisture content-a key indicator of whether a wound is healing-and transmit the data to an app on a nearby smartphone.

This information allows the doctor to ensure that the bandaged wound heals without removing the bandage, which usually inhibits the healing process.   

Experts say that by providing real-time wireless monitoring, the technology can help doctors better monitor wounds-even though it is currently only a prototype.

The researchers have not disclosed the exact cost of the smart bandage or when it will be commercially available, but said it is "low cost and one-time" and chose cheap materials for their design.

Using the new prototype, doctors can make sure that the bandaged wound is healing without removing the bandage based on the moisture content information. Removing the bandage will disrupt the healing process 

The smart bandage uses commercially available bandage materials. But it has a sensor that can measure changes in wound humidity, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip that can transmit data to a smartphone 

Dr. Luca Possanzini, a research author from the University of Bologna, said: "We have developed a series of bandages with different layers and different absorption properties and characteristics." 

"The idea is that every type of wound can have its own suitable dressing, from slowly oozing wounds to massively oozing wounds, such as burns and blisters.

"However, before we apply our technology to various types of wounds, we need to further optimize the sensor geometry and determine the appropriate sensor values ​​to achieve the best healing." 

The "smart bandage" contains a sensor that measures the humidity level of the wound, and then uses a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip to transmit the data to a nearby smartphone. 

Wireless communication with smartphone allows real-time measurement of wound condition

The RFID chip (pictured) is about the size of a grain of rice and has been used for clothing security labels and contactless cards (stock image)

A radio frequency identification (RFID) chip is about the size of a grain of rice.

They store personal safety information that can be transmitted to special receivers over short distances. 

They can already be found in contactless cards-including the Oyster system in London.

They are also similar to chips implanted in pets.

It is believed that 10,000 people around the world use microchip technology in their bodies. 

RFID chips are about the size of a grain of rice and have been used in clothing security tags and contactless cards-including Transport for London's Oyster card.

There are several factors that affect whether a wound is healed, such as temperature, glucose level, acidity, and most importantly humidity.  

If it is too dry, the skin tissue will become dry, but if it is too wet, it will become white and wrinkled, just like we take a bath for too long.  

However, if doctors want to check the moisture content of the wound, they need to remove the bandage, which may damage the fragile healing tissue.        

Therefore, the researchers wanted to create a smart bandage as a "non-invasive" method of monitoring the moisture content of wounds. 

According to the team, the choice of material is a challenge because bandages need to be biocompatible, disposable, and inexpensive. 

They used a technique called screen printing to apply a conductive polymer called PEDOT:PSS to two different types of gauze-rayon gauze and PET gauze.

Gauze is a thin transparent fabric that is wrapped around wounds or fractures as a surgical dressing.  

The conductive polymer looks like an ink-like length, printed as a line through the middle of the gauze. 

According to the researchers, a conductive polymer called PEDOT:PSS is screen-printed on gauze in a "specific geometry" (pictured) (stock picture)

When attached to the patient, their thinking is that changes in the moisture content of the wound will cause changes in the electrical signal measured by the sensor. 

Research author Dr. Marta Tessarolo from the University of Bologna said: “PEDOT:PSS is an organic semiconducting polymer that can be easily deposited on a variety of substrates as a standard ink.” 

'We have also added an inexpensive, disposable and bandage-compatible RFID tag to the textile patch, similar to the tags used for clothing security tags. 

"The tag can wirelessly transmit moisture content data to a smartphone, allowing medical staff to know when the bandage needs to be replaced." 

Graphical abstract of the paper. (A) Cross section of gauze PET and rayon. (B) The image of the final textile moisture sensor. (C) The structure of the bandage sensor, showing three different composition layers. (D) Cross section and top view of two absorbent layers 

Commercially available bandage materials are also used to form "protective" and "absorbent" layers on both sides of the gauze layer. 

To test their bandages, the researchers exposed them to a man-made version of exudate—liquid from the wound—and tested different bandage materials and shapes. 

They found that the bandage is highly sensitive, providing very different readings under dry, humid, and saturated conditions, indicating that it may be a valuable tool for wound management.  

In the future, by changing the geometry and material of the bandage, researchers may be able to fine-tune it to suit different types of wounds.  

 The research has been published in the journal "Frontiers in Physics". 

A study in 2021 showed that a new type of bandage can rebuild broken bones by directly transplanting osteogenic proteins and stem cells to the fracture site. 

This biological material can be glued to fractures "like a plaster" to accelerate healing, and has been successfully tested on the skulls of mice.  

After rebuilding the broken bones, this biodegradable bandage-two to three times the thickness of human hair-is absorbed by the body without any adverse side effects.  

The bandage itself is made of a polymer called polycaprolactone, which has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in medicine and dentistry. 

Read more: "Bandage" transplants osteoblastic stem cells into fractures   

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