Thermostimulated shrinking and adhesive hydrogel dressing for treating chronic diabetic wounds

Summary

Localized hyperglycemia, chronic inflammation, and recurrent infections severely impair wound healing in diabetes. Traditional wound dressings that passively promote healing maintain wound moisture with only limited efficacy, while microbial infections further complicate the healing process. Herein, we develop a thermostimulated shrinking and adhesive hydrogel dressing for chronic wound healing composed of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), polyacrylic acid grafted with N-hydroxysuccinimide ester, dopamine-modified gelatin (GelDA), and silver-coated clay-tannic acid nanoparticles (Ag@Clay-TA), integrating properties such as tissue adhesion and antibacterial and antioxidant functions. Notably, it adheres to skin wounds, actively contracts the wound in response to skin temperature, and releases antibacterial nanoparticles. In vivo analyses confirm that this hydrogel effectively eliminates bacteria at the wound site, reduces inflammation and oxidative stress, and promotes rapid wound closure and healing. This hydrogel dressing shows promising potential in alleviating inflammation and accelerating wound closure in chronic wounds infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).