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Lab Research
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Automatic system for on-demand fabrication of wound dressings First Author: Oleg Siniaguine Authors: Oleg Siniaguine, PhD The basic principle of moist wound healing sounds simple: "Keep a wound moist and surrounding skin dry". However, every-day practical implementation of this principle presents a challenge for clinicians. The right dressing use depends on clinician familiarity with the characteristics of ever-expanding and changing list of dressing types and brandnames, immediate availability of the needed dressing in the practical inventory, and inconsistent skills of caregivers. Automatic system for on-demand wound dressing fabrication has been developed to address these problems. The system is a compact robotic machine that promptly produces a custom wound dressing per clinician's request. The dressing is fabricated from advanced microfiber materials. The technology, implemented in the system, provides modification of material properties from absorptive to hydrating, and adjustment of the material's moisture vapor transmission rate per need. Using computer touchscreen the clinician dials-in dressing shape and size, indicates the desired absorption or hydrating capacity and degree of the dressing occlusiveness. That allows to tailor the dressing used to the phase of healing and the needs and characteristics of the wound. In addition to dressing fabrication, the system may keep an electronic record of the request. The system capabilities and test results for fluid absorption and vapor transmission of the fabricated dressings are presented. |
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