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Abstract

The increasing global need for more effective wound care arises because conventional dressings have limited antibacterial efficacy and other shortcomings. The protection that is provided by the materials used for dressing and the drug delivery to the wounds is crucial in the management of wounds. Today, extracellular matrix ECM structure and function-mimicking electrospun nanofiber membranes are deemed one prospective next-generation alternative for dressings in wounds. This review examines electrospun nanofiber dressings with an overview of fabrication principles, polymer selection, and challenges for clinical translation in an attempt to establish the current status and prospects of these dressings in the management of wounds. Electrospun nanofibers replicate ECM structure, provide a moist microenvironment, and enable spatiotemporally controlled delivery of growth factors, antimicrobials, and nanoparticles. Intricately configured devices such as coaxial and triaxial electrospinning yield high drug-loading efficacy as well as acceleration of re-epithelialization in preclinical models. Despite >200 in-vitro/animal studies, only four electrospun dressings have advanced to early-phase clinical trials, none reflecting the challenges remaining to be conquered by the regulatory agency. Further innovation with integration with smart polymers and real-time sensors will dictate next-generation, patient-specific configurations for wound-care devices. This review outline the recent advances in electrospun nanofiber innovations, with focusing on the selection of the material, fabrication approaches, functionalization approaches, preclinical results, and translational provocation.

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