Iranian Researchers Fabricate Biodegradable Wound Dressing with Fast Absorption Capability
Alireza Kheradvar Kelor, a master's student in polymer engineering at the University of Tehran, under the supervision of Mohsen Shahrousvand, a faculty member at the University of Tehran, and professor Dario Puppi from the University of Pisa in Italy, made the biodegradable wound dressings with fast absorption capabilities, which is currently in the animal (laboratory) stage.
Shahrousvand explained that the hydrogel dressings are based on gelatin and sodium alginate, and said, “Given the use of completely natural materials, these dressings do not have any cellular and systemic toxicity for the body, and their structure is similar to the structure of collagen fibers in the skin tissue.”
“These dressings accelerate the four-step process of wound healing, including hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and tissue regeneration, and a clot is created at the bleeding site after using the dressings which acts like an obstacle to prevent blood loss and the entry of pathogens,” he added.
Shahrousvand stated that the wound dressings improve the performance of all four stages of wound healing, and due to their moisturizing nature they prevent skin scars after treatment.
In another development, a knowledge-based company in Iran succeeded in production of home-made blood coagulants that stop bleeding in the shortest possible time and with the least amount of tissue destruction.
‘Hilda’ blood clotting powder, produced with modern methods, uses biological and safe polymers to prevent blood loss in a short period of time. The biodegradable and biocompatible composition is completely absorbed by the body enzymes after use. This polysaccharide reduces the need for blood transfusion by quickly stopping all types of bleeding (capillary, venous and arterial).
The dressing makes surgery and trauma management easier, improves the conditions of the wounded person and medical services and increases the survival rate. Meantime, the product is biodegradable and biocompatible and does not cause any sensitivity, skin irritation and cell toxicity.
Mahmoud Nasseri, the managing director of the knowledge-based company, elaborated on specifications of the unique product, saying, “These coagulant compounds prevent bleeding rapidly, enjoy antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and do not have any side effects.”
“Also, it is absorbed by the body and accelerates the healing process of the wound after the end of bleeding and it works 12 times better than the foreign samples. These products can also greatly reduce the blood consumption required by hospitals across the country,” he added.
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