Introduction

The innovation concerns a production process of a hydrogel bandage, able to overcome the disadvantages of the technologies currently used. The product obtained makes it easier to treat patients with difficult wounds, has a beneficial effect on the process of tissue repair of wounds, thanks to the presence of calcium ions in the matrix of the hydrogel, and expresses a better resistance to mechanical deformations than products on the market.

Technical features

The patent pending technology concerns an innovative production process of a hydrogel bandage that eliminates the disadvantages of the technologies currently in use:

• Hydrogel PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone), cross-linked by irradiation;
• Cross-linked calcium alginate hydrogel by replacing sodium ions with calcium ions.

In the first case, you get a hydrogel with the disadvantage of a strong adhesion with the final packaging. Extreme delicacy is necessary during the extraction phase to avoid damage. In the second case, there is a defect in the impossibility of sterilizing the bandage by irradiation. In fact, it cannot be produced outside a clean room.

Our process allows to obtain a simpler product’s extraction from the packaging, and a lesser vulnerability to the attack of moulds, thus not requiring a clean room for the production.

Possible Applications

• Products for the treatment of wounds;
• Transdermal administration of drugs;
• Cosmetic products, such as moisturising masks.

Advantages

• Easy bandage extraction from the packaging, easy application and painless removal;
• Reduction of patient treatment time;
• Beneficial effect on tissue regeneration;
• Easy absorption of wound exudates;
• Better resistance to mechanical breakage;
• Simplicity of the production process;
• Accessibility of technology also for SMEs.