Multi-layer antibacterial polyester fabrics for infection management and moisture wicking in a textile-based biomaterial wound dressing

Antibacterial woven polyester fabrics are drawing much attention in the medical and textile industries because they can provide many health-promoting properties that prevent infection while providing a barrier to the external environment. In this work, we developed and investigated two different polyester fabrics to demonstrate the antibacterial, non-adhesive, and moisture wicking properties of a multicomponent wound dressing. Vertical wicking of a braided layer composed of Poly-l-lactide (PLLA) yarn of 4-deep-grooved (4DG) fibers was tested using porcine blood serum to mimic wound exudate viscosity. Bacterial inhibition of Pseudomonas putida was measured after exposure to gentamicin sulfate (GS)-incorporated PLLA skin-contact layers of two different shaped yarns. Poly-ethylene glycol (PEG) was added to the GS PLLA contact layer to further prevent non-specific cellular attachment. Results indicated vertical wicking of moisture at 0.88 mm/s. While a specific wicking rate for adequate wound moisture regulation has not been indicated in the literature due to wound and patient variability, we assert that rapid removal of excess fluid from the wound bed, as demonstrated by our fabric is an essential component for a comprehensive wound dressing. Antibacterial experiments showed that GS exhibited both bactericidal and bacteriostatic trends by killing bacteria and further inhibiting growth, respectively. The surface treatment of PEG on PLLA contact layers showed less cellular attachment, promoting non-adhesion during dressing changes. Ultimately, using woven polyester medical textiles in wound care allows for optimizing parameters, such as antimicrobial uptake/release and moisture wicking for personalized healing. The construct studied here may serve as a tunable platform for development of wound dressings with specific antibacterial, moisture, and tissue adhesion requirements.