SINGAPORE: Diabetic patients suffering from chronic wounds that are slow to heal may soon find hope in an innovative magnetic wound-healing gel developed by a team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS). This groundbreaking technology aims to accelerate the healing of diabetic wounds, reduce recurrence rates, and ultimately lower the incidence of limb amputations, which often result from non-healing wounds.
Traditional treatments for diabetic wounds have proven unsatisfactory, leading to recurring health issues and, in many cases, limb amputation. The NUS research team has introduced a comprehensive approach that could change the landscape of wound care. The treatment involves applying a bandage pre-loaded with a hydrogel containing skin cells and magnetic particles. To maximize therapeutic results, an external wireless magnetic device is employed to activate skin cells and accelerate the wound-healing process, with the ideal duration of magnetic stimulation being one to two hours.
Lab tests have shown that the combination of this treatment with magnetic stimulation results in diabetic wounds healing approximately three times faster than current conventional approaches. Although the research initially focused on diabetic foot ulcers, this technology holds promise for treating a wide range of complex wounds, including burns.
Assistant Professor Andy Tay, who leads the NUS research team, highlighted the limitations of conventional dressings in wound healing, saying, “They merely prevent the wound from worsening, and patients need to be scheduled for dressing changes every two or three days. It is a huge cost to our healthcare system and an inconvenience to patients.”
In contrast, the NUS innovation takes an all-in-one approach to wound healing, addressing multiple critical factors associated with diabetic wounds, including managing elevated glucose levels, activating dormant skin cells, restoring damaged blood vessels, and repairing the disrupted vascular network within the wound.
The research was conducted in collaboration with scientists from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Nanyang Technological University, Sun Yat-sen University, and Wuhan University of Technology.
Currently, more than half a billion people globally live with diabetes, and this number is expected to rise significantly. Chronic diabetic wounds, particularly foot ulcers, have emerged as a major global healthcare challenge. Singapore has one of the highest rates of lower limb amputation due to diabetes globally, averaging around four cases daily.
The NUS magnetic wound-healing gel introduces a unique approach by gently stimulating skin cells. Instead of discouraging patients from engaging in daily activities, this technology encourages gentle mechanical stimulation. The specially designed wound-healing gel contains FDA-approved skin cells and magnetic particles. When combined with a dynamic magnetic field, the mechanical stimulation encourages dermal fibroblasts to become more active.
Lab tests showed that the increased fibroblast activity generated by the magnetic wound-healing gel increases the cells’ growth rate by approximately 240 per cent and more than doubles their collagen production, a crucial protein for wound healing. It also improves communication with keratinocytes to promote the formation of new blood vessels.
The NUS team worked on the project from 2021 to 2023 to demonstrate the viability of this new approach. A patent has been filed for this innovation. While the magnetic wound-healing gel has shown great promise in improving diabetic wound healing, it could also revolutionize the treatment of other complex wound types.
The researchers are conducting more tests to further refine the magnetic wound-healing gel to improve its effectiveness. They also collaborate with a clinical partner to test the gel’s effectiveness using diabetic human tissues.
Assistant Professor Francis Wong Keng Lin, Consultant at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital, who is not involved in the study, praised this advancement, saying, “Advancements in wound healing technologies will reduce the duration of the patient journey and would allow them to return to their lives as quickly as possible, hence improving productivity and quality of life.”
This groundbreaking development in wound healing holds the potential to significantly impact the lives of millions of diabetic patients worldwide, providing hope for faster, more effective wound healing and improved overall health outcomes.