A review on polymeric hydrogel membranes for wound dressing applications: PVA-based hydrogel dressings

Outline

• Abstract
• Graphical Abstract
• Keywords
• Introduction
• The Concept of Hydrogels As Wound Dressings
• Skin and Wound Structure
• Wound Dressings
• History of Wound Dressings
• Requirements of Ideal Wound Dressings
• Classification of Wound Dressings
• Traditional Dressings
• Biological Dressings
• Artificial Dressings
• Natural Polymers
• Collagen
• Chitin Derivatives and Chitosan
• Alginic Acid and Sodium Alginate
• Starch and Starch Derivatives
• Dextran
• Glucan
• Gelatin
• Poly-N-Acetyl Glucosamine
• Hyaluronic Acid or Hyaluronan
• Bacterial Cellulose (bc)
• Keratin and Silk
• Synthetic Polymers
• Polyurethane
• Poly (methyl Methacrylate)
• Proplast or Alloplastics
• Poly(n-Vinylpyrrolidone) (pvp)
• Polyethylene Glycol (peg)
• Poly(n-Isopropylacrylamide) (pnipam)
• Nanoparticles Composite-Polymers
• Clay Nanocomposite-Membranes
• Metal Oxides Composite-Membranes
• Carbon-Based Materials Composite-Membranes
• Other Nanoparticles Composite-Membranes
• Conclusions
• Conflicts of Interest
• Compliance with Ethics Requirements
• Acknowledgements
• References

Conclusions

In this review, the most update progress of the use of polymeric hydrogel membranes as wound dressings were recollected and summarized. The wet-retentive dressings have been chosen previously based on the type of wound-shape. Conversely, polymeric hydrogel dressings were found currently a convenient for any wound and burn types regardless the wound-shape. The traditional gauze cotton-dressings can injure the wound upon removal time. Thus, the occlusive polymeric dressings were preferred over the semi-occlusive and traditional dressings. The first category of polymeric dressings is based on natural polymers, which are among the core topics intensively discussed in literatures. Chitosan, glucan, alginates, and hyaluronan are more efficient as a wound-healing accelerator than synthetic polymers. Notably, wounds covered with biopolymers, e.g. chitosan-based dressings showed fast healing rate and scarless healing, which are similar the normal skin. The second category of dressings is based on the combination between biopolymers and synthetic ones using favorable physical crosslinking method which is a convenient for healing process. PVA-biopolymers composites membranes exhibited better biological and antimicrobial activities than those composite with synthetic polymers, particularly PVA-chitosan and PVA-alginate membranes. Moreover, PVA-biopolymers composite membranes containing healing agents (e.g. Aloe vera, PEG, sterculia/Arabic gums) or antibiotics (e.g. sod. ampicillin or gentamicin) suggested being typical dressings for acute and chronic wounds. The third category of dressings is based on PVA-nanoparticles-composite membranes were exploited to achieve the features of polymer and nanofillers for improving the performance of dressings of faster healing rate, pain relieving role, and easier removal. Finally, it have decided that natural polymers based dressings have outperformed the synthetic polymers, while additives were incorporated to accelerate the healing rate and improve the mechanical potential, which were lately found advanced therapeutic impact as wound dressings.