Electroactive Asymmetric Dressing for Spatiotemporal Deep Burn Scarless Healing and Management.

Summary

A multifunctional asymmetric dressing combining a quercetin-loaded hydrophilic layer and an electroactive ZnO-PVDF hydrophobic layer provided early antibacterial/exudate control and later guided cell behaviors to accelerate healing, reduce scarring, and promote skin appendage regeneration in deep burns. The work proposes a full-cycle, spatiotemporal strategy for burn management.

Key Findings

• Designed an asymmetric dressing with P34HB@Qu hydrophilic and HPVDF@ZnO hydrophobic layers providing staged, complementary functions.
• Early-phase antibacterial activity and exudate management prevented infection and maintained moisture balance.
• Electroactive ZnO-PVDF and quercetin synergistically regulated cell migration and differentiation, accelerating healing and enabling scar-free regeneration.
• The dressing supported regeneration of skin appendages, indicating functional tissue restoration.

Clinical Implications

While preclinical, the device suggests future dressings could couple early antibacterial/exudate control with later electrostimulation and bioactive release to improve cosmetic and functional outcomes in deep burns.

Limitations

• Preclinical evidence without human clinical trials
• Scalability, manufacturability, and long-term safety/biocompatibility remain to be established

Future Directions

Validate in large-animal and early-phase clinical trials; optimize electroactive parameters and release kinetics; assess durability, safety, and manufacturability for regulatory pathways.