Bi-material Electrospun Meshes for Wound Healing Applications

Abstract

Skin is a complex and very important tissue, playing a significant protective and regulatory function. It is also prone to a large number of wounds and defects due to external factors such as temperature, chemical agents, and radiation. However, minimizing the risk of infection in the wound area and accelerating the skin healing process are still relevant research challenges. This paper investigates a novel wound dressing based on polycaprolactone (PCL), a synthetic biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, and honey- Surgihoney®. Wound dressing meshes were produced using solution electrospinning. Different polymer solutions were prepared by mixing PCL and Surgihoney® with acetic acid. Process conditions were optimised to create suitable meshes with uniform fiber diameters and minimal presence of beads. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis (FTIR) was used to investigate the incorporation of Surgihoney® on PCL meshes. Meshes were also biologically assessed using human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Results show that the presence of Surgihoney® has a positive impact on cell attachment and proliferation.