Innovative Approaches to Wound Healing: Insights into Interactive Dressings and Future Directions

Abstract

The objective of this review is to provide an up-to-date and all-encompassing primal account and recent advancements in the domain of interactive wound dressings. Appreciating the gap between obtained and desired clinical outcomes with currently available or being researched wound healing therapies; newer more specific options based on wound type and healing phase are reviewed. Starting from the comprehensive description of the wound healing process, a detailed classification of wound dressings is described. We present a more elaborate and meaningful classification describing interactive (unconventional) wound dressings. Sections on biopolymers-based; bioactive-containing; and biosensor-based smart dressings are included with their applications and limitations. Recent (2-5 years) clinical trials, patents of unconventional dressings, marketed products, and other information on advanced wound care designs and techniques are further discussed. The future direction section describes peptides and proteins, and human amniotic membrane as options of the next era. We conclude by saying that this field needs and offers scope to integrate information on the healing process with newer technological ebullition.