Advances in the Sensing and Treatment of Wound Biofilms

Wound biofilms represent a particularly challenging problem in modern medicine. They are increasingly antibiotic resistant and can prevent the healing of chronic wounds. However, current treatment and diagnostic options are hampered by the complexity of the biofilm environment. In this review, we present new chemical avenues in biofilm sensors and new materials to treat wound biofilms, offering promise for better detection, chemical specificity, and biocompatibility. We briefly discuss existing methods for biofilm detection and focus on novel, sensor-based approaches that show promise for early, accurate detection of biofilm formation on wound sites and that can be translated to point-of-care settings. We then discuss technologies inspired by new materials for efficient biofilm eradication. We focus on ultrasound-induced microbubbles and nanomaterials that can both penetrate the biofilm and simultaneously carry active antimicrobials and discuss the benefits of those approaches in comparison to conventional methods.

Automated summary

Wound biofilms are a challenging problem in modern medicine due to their increasing antibiotic resistance and hindrance to wound healing. This review presents new chemical avenues in biofilm sensors and materials for better detection and treatment of wound biofilms, offering promising solutions for accurate detection and efficient eradication of biofilms.