Digital printing antibiofilm complexes onto moisture sensitive wound dressings.

Abstract: Aim: Advanced wound dressings are designed to perform many functions beyond simply acting as a protective barrier on the surface of a wound or managing exudate. Advanced dressings can gel to conform to the surface of the wound or actively combat the presence of biofilm with the inclusion of antimicrobial/antibiofilm agents, reducing the likelihood of infection. Fabrication can be challenging, especially where aqueous active components need to be included in a dressing that gels. This work investigates the use of digital printing for coating a gel forming carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) dressing with an advanced aqueous antibiofilm complex. Method: CMC dressings were coated with solutions of silver/zinc antibiofilm complexes (MMC) using inkjet printing. The dressing structure was assessed using optical microscopy and the distribution of the complex quantified using X-ray computed tomography. The efficacy of the dressings was tested against planktonic Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a direct contact assay and against biofilms in a drip flow bioreactor. Results / Discussion: The antibiofilm complex could be easily coated onto the CMC dressing fibers without causing gelation or changes in physical structure. The coating was located throughout the upper layers of the dressing. A probabilistic model was created to explain the observed distribution within the dressing. The coated dressings showed high levels of both antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity. Conclusion: Inkjet printing can be used as a highly controlled and effective method for coating aqueous solutions of active materials onto water sensitive dressings.

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