A major challenge in chronic
wound treatment is maintaining an appropriate
wound moisture balance throughout the healing process.
Wound dehydration hinders wound healing due to impeded molecule transport and cell migration with associated tissue
necrosis. In contrast,
wounds that produce excess fluid contain high levels of
reactive oxygen species and matrix
metalloproteases that impede cell recruitment, extracellular matrix reconstruction, and angiogenesis. Dressings are currently selected based on the relative amount of
wound exudate with no universal dressing available that can maintain appropriate
wound moisture balance to enhance healing. This work aimed to develop a high porosity
poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate hydrogel foam that can both rapidly remove exudate and provide self-tuning moisture control to prevent
wound dehydration. A custom foaming device was used to vary
hydrogel foam porosity from 25% to 75% by adjusting the initial air-to-
solution volume ratio.
Hydrogel foams demonstrated substantial improvements in water uptake volume and rate as compared to bulk
hydrogels while maintaining similar hydration benefits with slow
dehydration rates. The
hydrogel foam with the highest porosity (~75%) demonstrated the greatest water uptake and rate, which outperformed commercial dressing products, Curafoam® and Silvercel®, in water absorption, moisture retention, and exudate management. Investigation of the
water vapor transmission rates of each dressing at varied hydration levels was characterized and demonstrated the dynamic moisture-controlling capability of the
hydrogel foam dressing. Overall, the self-tuning moisture control of this
hydrogel foam dressing holds great promise to improve healing outcomes for both dry and exudative chronic
wounds.