A pH-regulated drug delivery dermal patch for targeting infected regions in chronic wounds

Lab Chip. 2019 Jun 25;19(13):2265-2274. doi: 10.1039/c9lc00206e.

Abstract

This work presents a low-cost, passive, flexible, polymeric pump for topical drug delivery which uses wound pH as a trigger for localized drug release. Its operation relies on a pH-responsive hydrogel actuator which swells when exposed to the alkaline pH of an infected wound. The pump enables slow release (<0.1 μL min-1) of aqueous anti-bacterial solution for up to 4 hours and sustains against up to 8 kPa of backpressure. Featuring a scalable layer-by-layer fabrication technique to expand the pump into a 2 × 2 array, the device can dispense 50 μl onto a 160 mm2 dermal coverage within 4 hours. Robustness tests show that when integrated within a medical adhesive, the device can be worn around the forearm and can withstand various daily activities (non-intensive) for up to 12 hours. In vitro experiments demonstrate a 58 times decrease of live P. aeruginosa after 24 hours of the pump assisted antibiotics treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Infections / drug therapy*
  • Chronic Disease
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Drug Liberation
  • Humans
  • Hydrogels / chemistry
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques* / instrumentation
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Transdermal Patch*
  • Wound Healing / drug effects*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Hydrogels
  • Polymers