by DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)

Schematic illustrations of (a) the Au-based fiber electrode serves as a base electrode for the working and reference electrodes, (c) the PANi-coated working electrode, and (e) the Ag/AgCl/PVB-coated reference electrode. SEM images and the corresponding magnified images of (b) the Au-based fiber electrode, (d) the working electrode, and (f) the reference electrode. Credit: Advanced Functional Materials (2024). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202402501

A research team has successfully developed an electronic suture that can monitor changes in inflammation levels around wounds in real time. The electronic suture is expected to contribute significantly to wound care and personalized care across various medical fields. The findings are published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.

The healing process of a wound is highly complex and greatly affected by the surrounding environment. If healing is delayed due to improper care, the wound can become chronic, which can potentially lead to amputation, disability, and even death. It is especially important to constantly and accurately monitor the condition of a chronic wound and diagnose infection early.

While many different wound care devices have been developed to perform this function, most of them are bands or patches. These devices can only diagnose a wound on the surface of the skin, and therefore, have a limited ability to accurately assess the healing or inflammatory condition of a wound deeper than the surface layer of the skin.

To tackle this problem, a team, led by Professor Jaehong Lee at the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology (DGIST) and Professor Jungseung Lee at the Department of Global Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, in collaboration with Professor Jungseung Lee's team at Sungkyunkwan University, has successfully developed a suture-type wound monitoring system that can monitor the inflammatory condition of a wound inside and outside the body for a long period of time.

While the system functions as a regular surgical suture to close a wound, it can also detect changes in the inflammatory condition of the wound where the suture is applied, in real time.

Traditional surgical sutures serve only to close a wound. Contrarily, the developed electronic suture adds the function of continuously monitoring the inflammatory condition of a wound, which makes it possible to take care of wounds more effectively in practice.

The electronic suture can detect inflammation in a wound in real time to help to receive proper treatment. Furthermore, it can detect infectious conditions early, ensuring that treatment is not missed and helping the wound recover more effectively.

"This study makes it more likely to use body-inserted electronic suture device technology in medical practice," said Professor Jaehong Lee. "We will conduct research more actively in not only the development of electronic sutures but also the field of body-inserted health care devices, which can measure various types of vital signs."

More information: Hwajoong Kim et al, Bioelectronic Sutures with Electrochemical pH‐Sensing for Long‐Term Monitoring of the Wound Healing Progress, Advanced Functional Materials (2024). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202402501

Journal information: Advanced Functional Materials 

Provided by DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)