Breakthrough In Diabetic Foot Ulcer Treatment With 3D Printed Wound Dressings

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 37.3 million people, or 11.3% of the U.S. population, have diabetes. Diabetic induced foot ulcers are an important cause of morbidity in patients with diabetes. The lifetime risk of a foot ulcer for patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes may be as high as 34 percent. Due to the elevated blood sugar, the blood vessels and nerve pathways are damaged, especially in the feet of the patients, causing them to experience little to no pain in their feet. As a result, minor injuries and wounds go unnoticed for a long time and heal with great difficulty.

Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast now want to provide patients with a remedy and are using 3D printing technology to do so. In the process, they discovered a new treatment method for healing diabetic foot ulcers by developing 3D printed bandages, known as scaffolds – a breakthrough in diabetes treatment.

The scaffolds are produced using 3D bioprinting. (Photo credit: Queen’s University Belfast)

A combination of lipid nanoparticles and hydrogels are used to create the scaffolds. These form a scaffold-like and skin-like structure, which is individually adapted to the patient. The scaffolds make it possible to permanently release antibiotic-loaded molecules for the targeted treatment of diabetic ulcers. This treatment method is not only convincing because of its efficiency, but because it is also sustainable and cost-effective, since the “scaffolds” can be manufactured in any hospital. In addition, medical staff also benefit from the 3D printed dressings. By eliminating the need to constantly put on and take off the dressing, a lot of effort and time is saved.