Against the backdrop of an aging global population and a continued rise in diabetes incidence, chronic wounds have become a significant threat to public health. Recently, a research team at the University of California, Riverside, has made a major breakthrough in this field, successfully developing an oxygen-delivering gel material, providing a novel solution for the treatment of chronic wounds.

Chronic wounds are defined as wounds that fail to heal after more than a month. It is estimated that approximately 12 million people worldwide suffer from this condition each year, including about 4.5 million in the United States. Of these patients, nearly one-fifth eventually require amputation, severely impacting their quality of life.

To address this issue, a research team led by Iman Nosadi, associate professor of bioengineering at the University of California, Riverside, found a breakthrough by tackling the root cause of wound healing problems. They discovered that the core reason many chronic wounds are difficult to heal is deep tissue hypoxia. Insufficient oxygen supply keeps the wound in a state of chronic inflammation, making it easy for bacteria to proliferate and preventing the tissue from completing the normal transition from the inflammatory phase to the regenerative phase.

Based on this discovery, the research team developed a gel material with oxygen-generating capabilities. This gel contains water and a choline-based liquid, the latter possessing excellent antibacterial properties, non-toxicity, and biocompatibility. When used in conjunction with a microbattery, the gel can transform into an electrochemical device that continuously generates oxygen by decomposing water molecules.

Unlike traditional treatments, this gel conforms closely to the complex shape of the wound, deeply filling the areas with the lowest oxygen levels and highest risk of infection. More importantly, its oxygen supply is continuous, lasting up to a month, covering the entire healing cycle required for the wound to heal.

In experiments with diabetic and aged mice, the gel showed good results. Mice in the experimental group had their oxygen patches changed weekly, and their wounds healed within approximately 23 days; all animals survived. In contrast, the wounds of untreated control mice failed to heal, and some even died.

The research team pointed out that another advantage of this gel is that its component choline has a regulatory effect on the immune system. Chronic wounds are often accompanied by an excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species, which are unstable molecules that can damage cells and prolong the inflammatory response. The gel, while increasing stable oxygen levels, helps suppress excessive immune responses, creating a more suitable environment for wound healing.

"Some bandages on the market can absorb liquids, and some can release antibacterial agents, but none of them can truly solve the fundamental problem of hypoxia," said Prince David Okoro, a co-author of the paper and a PhD candidate in bioengineering at the University of California, Riverside. "Our research directly addresses this pain point."

Beyond wound care, this technology has broader applications. In the field of tissue engineering, oxygen and nutrient scarcity are major challenges in cultivating replacement tissues or organs. The research team believes that this oxygen supply technology could provide crucial support for the cultivation of future artificial organs.

Co-author of the paper, Baisali Kangira, also pointed out that the high incidence of chronic wounds is closely related to social factors such as a sedentary lifestyle, rising diabetes rates, and an aging population. She stated, "This innovation has the potential to reduce the number of amputations, improve patients' quality of life, and provide necessary support for the body's self-repair."

The research findings have been published in the academic journal Nature Communications Materials.