Wound

New weapons against so-called “superbugs” are desperately needed. A new black phosphorus coating quickly kills bacteria and fungi, then dissolves within 24 hours – and best of all, bacteria can’t evolve resistance against this mode of attack.

A team at McGill University has come up with novel kind of suture that is based on human tendons, which enables it to not only heal wounds more effectively, but possibly even monitor their progress and be loaded with drugs to stave off infection.

Although not a huge seller everywhere, durian fruit is consumed in great quantities in countries like Singapore. Scientists there have now developed a method of using its husks to create cheap, eco-friendly, antibacterial hydrogel bandages.

Chronic skin wounds such as pressure ulcers can become very serious if left untreated, potentially even leading to amputations. A new "smart" bandage could help, by changing color before such wounds occur in the first place.

Scar tissue is an effective short-term solution to quickly patch up wounded skin, but it’s not so great long-term. A new hydrogel helps by triggering a regenerative immune response, so skin heals healthier and stronger without scarring.

When surgery is performed on infants in utero, they're often born without any scars. This comes thanks to a special quality of their skin which scientists now believe could be replicated in adults, potentially leading to scar-free wound treatments.

When suturing wounds within the body, there's a risk of damaging the tissue, and of the development of infections. A new surgical glue could reduce the need for sutures, though, plus it could close wounds faster while also delivering medication.

Open wounds on the stomach wall can be serious if left untreated, sometimes requiring surgery. In the not-too-distant future, though, it's possible that a small robot could bioprint new cells onto such injuries … from inside the body.

Although it's vitally important to keep wounds free of harmful bacteria, antibacterial ointments have to be regularly reapplied, requiring bandages to be removed. A new wound dressing, however, is claimed to continuously kill bacteria all on its own.

In the not-too-distant future, we may see wound dressings that default to absorbing bodily fluids, while also releasing medication on demand. The same material could allow robots to cool themselves by sweating.

Ripping Band-Aids off your skin is never fun – but imagine having one on your heart or lung. Researchers have now created surgical tape that can stick to wet surfaces like organs, and more importantly, be removed safely when it’s no longer needed.

Stem cells are powerful tools that could one day unlock new frontiers in regenerative medicine. Now, a new study has shown that a certain type of stem cell can be delivered into injured tissues with dissolvable microneedles, to heal wounds.