Health & Medicine, Singapore (Commonwealth Union) – Scientists have developed an economical and adaptable patch that is customizable for various kinds of wounds giving early warning of unfavorable conditions to make wound care management possible.
The ability to monitor wound healing progress in a timely and efficient manner is crucial for effective wound care and management. Diminished healing, such as in chronic wounds or post-burn scars, can lead to severe medical complications and impose significant economic burdens on patients and healthcare systems worldwide.
To address this challenge, a team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and A*STAR’s Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) has developed a groundbreaking invention. This innovative solution offers a simple, convenient, and effective method for monitoring wound recovery, enabling timely clinical intervention to enhance wound care and management.
Traditionally, wound healing assessment relies on visual examination by clinicians. Infections are usually diagnosed through swabbing and subsequent bacteria culture, which involves lengthy waiting periods and lacks prompt wound diagnosis. Consequently, accurately predicting wound healing becomes challenging in clinical settings. Moreover, wound assessment often necessitates frequent manual removal of dressings, which not only increases the risk of infection but also subjects patients to additional pain and trauma.
The newly developed invention overcomes these limitations by providing a more efficient and non-invasive approach to wound monitoring. It leverages advanced technologies to offer real-time insights into wound healing progress. This enables healthcare professionals to intervene promptly and implement appropriate treatments based on accurate and up-to-date information.
“To address this challenge, NUS researchers combined our expertise in flexible electronics, artificial intelligence (AI) and sensor data processing with nanosensor capabilities of IMRE researchers to develop an innovative solution that could benefit patients with complex wound conditions,” explained Associate Professor Benjamin Tee of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering under the NUS College of Design and Engineering, as well as the NUS Institute for Health Innovation & Technology.
The PETAL (Paper-like Battery-free In situ AI-enabled Multiplexed) sensor patch consists of five colorimetric sensors capable of determining the patient’s wound healing status in fifteen minutes with the gaging of a combination of biomarkers. These include temperature, pH, trimethylamine, uric acid along with the moisture of the wound. The biomarkers chosen carefully were to effectively evaluate wound inflammation, infection and the condition of the wound atmosphere.
“We designed the paper-like PETAL sensor patch to be thin, flexible and biocompatible, allowing it to be easily and safely integrated with wound dressing for the detection of biomarkers. We can thus potentially use this convenient sensor patch for prompt, low-cost wound care management at hospitals or even in non-specialist healthcare settings such as homes,” said Dr Su Xiaodi, who is Principal Scientist, Soft Materials Department, A*STAR’s IMRE.
Researchers indicated that the sensor patch has the ability to function with no energy source, where sensor images are collected with a mobile phone and assessed with AI algorithms to seek the healing status of the patient.
Traditional wearable wound sensors often have limitations, as they typically measure only a limited number of parameters and rely on bulky printed circuit boards and batteries for operation. However, the PETAL sensor patch introduces a groundbreaking alternative. This innovative sensor patch is capable of measuring five biomarkers simultaneously, and remarkably, it operates without the need for any batteries. Additionally, the PETAL sensor patch offers the flexibility to incorporate additional biomarkers as needed.
Following the development of this groundbreaking invention, the research team has taken a significant step by filing an international patent. This patent filing ensures the protection of their innovative technology and paves the way for potential commercialization and widespread application.
Looking ahead, the researchers have set their sights on advancing to the next stage of development with human clinical trials.
The production of the PETAL sensor patch was carried out together with the study team of Professor David Becker from the Nanyang Technological University as well as the Skin Research Institute Singapore.
