A road less-traveled: cotton-based approaches to wound healing

Authors: Edwards, Judson - Vince

Submitted to: American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists Review
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/21/2021
Publication Date: 1/5/2022
Citation: Edwards, J.V. 2022. A road less-traveled: cotton-based approaches to wound healing. American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists Review. 22:1.40-46.

Interpretive Summary: In the growing geriatric and paraplegic/quadriplegic demographics, world-wide there is a need for innovative solutions based on prevention and treatment. In this regard, we have focused on four areas applicable to wound healing and skin care: 1) In trauma dressings for accelerated blood clotting; 2) Modified cotton for chronic wound care using protease modulating dressings made ‘intelligent’ through interface with a point of care diagnostic sensor; 3) Nonwoven greige cotton that generates hydrogen peroxide to give stimulation of cell proliferation in the wound bed, or antibacterial activity; 4) Cotton nonwovens with enhanced fabric hand that modulate polar surface properties at the skin-fabric interface for incontinence management, and bedsore prevention.

Technical Abstract: Research and development over the last quarter of a century has demonstrated four areas where work on cotton textile fibers has facilitated innovative design for prevention and treatment of chronic, infected, and acute wound issues. We have focused on four areas: 1) improved trauma dressings that accelerate blood clotting; 2) chronic wound protease modulating dressings interfaced to point of care diagnostic (POC) sensors; 3) nonwoven greige cotton that generates hydrogen peroxide designed to stimulate cell proliferation in the wound bed, or antibacterial activity; 4) spunlace nonwovens with enhanced fabric hand designed to modulate polar surface properties at the skin-fabric interface for incontinence management, and bedsore prevention. Based on these approaches new product lines have been developed and promising fabric technologies that bridge bioactivity with sensor function are a topic of current research and development.