Hydrogels in regenerative wound therapy: A journey from basic polymers to smart platforms.

BACKGROUND

Hydrogels are widely utilized in wound care because of their structural similarity to the natural extracellular matrix and their ability to maintain a moist environment conducive to tissue repair.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to evaluate the progress in the advancement of gel-based wound coverings, focusing on their structural composition, functional modifications, and integration of bioactive agents/polymers.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed using reputed scientific databases such as Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science, etc. Keywords like hydrogels, wound healing, different types and bioactive molecules integrated nano-materials were used to retrieve relevant studies published over the past fifteen years, selected and assessed critically.

RESULT: Findings indicate that multifunctional hydrogels, particularly those loaded with growth factors, antibacterial agents, or nanostructures, show promising results in accelerating wound repair.

CONCLUSION

The hydrogel-based systems hold significant potential for future wound care due to their tunable properties and ability to integrate therapeutics.