Multifunctional Wound Dressings Based on Electrospun Nanofibers

Abstract

The skin, the largest and most external organ of the human body, acts as the first line of protection against traumata. Therefore, skin wounds and injuries can expose the organism to many severe diseases. Some wounds show chronic aspects, usually taking a long time to heal and, therefore, being more susceptible to infections. Thus, for the sake of health, effective strategies to protect and coat the affected skin are highly demanded nowadays. In this context, applying wound dressings based on electrospun nanofibers at the local injury site can speed up the healing process by protecting the wound from external harm and enhancing tissue recovery, fluid draining, and moisture regulation. Besides, wound dressings can also present antibacterial activity and promote drug delivery, being easily integrated with regenerative therapies. In this context, we present recent developments in the design of multifunctional nanofiber-based systems produced by electrospinning for wound dressing applications. Besides basic fundamental aspects of skin wounds and the types of multifunctional nanofibers features suitable for wound dressing, we also discuss future trends and challenges related to the smart wound dressing