In situ visual monitoring strategies for wound healing based on hydrogel materials

Abstract

Chronic wounds present a significant global health challenge, associated with substantial economic and social burdens. The timely and accurate assessment of healing status remains a major obstacle in wound management, often compromising the effectiveness of clinical care and leading to suboptimal patient outcomes. With advancements in hydrogels, in situ visual wound monitoring strategies have been developed and innovated, with the ability to provide personalized care through superior biocompatibility and customizable functionalization. These hydrogel dressings enable real-time, non-invasive assessment of wound status, thereby facilitating timely and targeted therapeutic interventions. This review summarizes and discusses recent advancements in hydrogel-based in situ visual monitoring strategies for wound healing. It primarily focuses on four key parameters: pH values, glucose concentrations, ROS levels, and bacterial products. Following this, various colorimetric approaches for wound monitoring are described below, supported by recent examples. Additionally, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of multi-parameter strategies for wound monitoring. Finally, current challenges and future directions for the field of hydrogel-based wound monitoring are outlined.