Controlling Infection Using Adhesives

Treating recovering patients can be a time-consuming task. Those who have undergone surgery or are suffering from serious illnesses need to have their vital signs and stats monitored and checked regularly to prevent the risk of infection, complication, or further illness.

Previously, this meant relying on electronic monitors and screens which were usually attached intravenously, and typical of electronic technology, they were liable to go wrong, break down or even present inaccurate information at the worst possible time.

The digital bandage has the potential to solve all of these issues, revolutionizing patient care and creating the ability to obtain accurate, up-to-the-second data and information, allowing you to monitor every single heartbeat and bead of sweat on your patient. This technology includes the ability to monitor and report on infections in real time, allowing for instant reactions and preventing further illness or damage.

What Is A Digital Bandage?

As the name suggests, a digital bandage is a high-tech adhesive, and it is an incredible innovation from the very best brains in Adhesive Manufacturers RD Medical Products. The device can monitor all necessary patient activity, such as heart rate, respiration, medication dispatch and more, and it reports back through sensors allowing caregivers to have the most accurate information.

Different teams have been playing with the concept and pushing the idea even further, which has been a revolutionary concept in the area of monitoring and treating an infection.

What Can They Do?

• Infection Control

One example device looks identical to an everyday Band-Aid but has the bonus of changing color if an infection is detected. It works by reacting to the pH of the skin, altering its appearance if this changes. An ordinary wound which is healing healthily will have a pH of around five or six. However, if the wound gets too alkaline, this can be an indication of infection. If the pH reaches between six and a half and eight and a half, the bandage will turn purple, providing instant information that something is wrong.

• Oxygen Monitoring

Another example works using a similar concept, but it uses oxygen concentrations instead of pH, which means that it is also particularly useful for burns. In order for a wound to heal effectively, the blood supply needs to be rich in oxygen and glucose; if this is not present, the injury can take longer to improve, heal poorly, or even develop unpleasant chronic sores.

In this example, the bandage can quickly deliver critical information by changing color. There are two dyes which are sensitive to oxygen – red porphyrin, which acts in a similar way to hemoglobin, and a green dye. Both are incorporated into a nitrocellulose liquid. When the tissue below is receiving adequate oxygen, the liquid will glow green. A red glow, however, means that there is an oxygen deficit, which may lead to complications.

A thin film is placed on top of the bandage, and this prevents the readings from being confused by the surrounding atmospheric readings, and also prevents the porphyrin from contacting the skin. These precautions help to ensure total accuracy during the healing process.