Alginate-Iodine Dressing with FREMS for Diabetic Ulcer Healing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for diabetic ulcers, including wound dressings and electrical stimulation, face limitations such as high production costs, limited scalability, local side effects, bacterial resistance, and inability to address neuropathic pain and circulation issues, leading to incomplete healing and high treatment costs.

Innovation Solution

A biomedical device combining a dressing film made from a solution of sodium alginate, povidone iodine, and glycerol with electrical stimulation using FREMS technology, which provides a synergistic effect for enhanced wound healing by promoting tissue regeneration, reducing inflammation, and improving blood flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wound dressings with antibiotics, antioxidants and growth factors are used, then wound healing is promoted, but production cost increases and scalability is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewound healing effectivenessVSAvoidproduction cost and scalability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple therapeutic functions (antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and growth factor delivery) into a single wound dressing formulation, integrating several treatment modalities that would otherwise require separate applications. This merging approach maintains comprehensive wound healing effectiveness while simplifying the overall treatment protocol and potentially reducing cumulative costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The wound dressing is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides antibacterial protection, eliminates free radicals, reduces inflammation, and promotes tissue regeneration. This multi-functional design allows a single device to address various aspects of wound healing, improving reliability while avoiding the need for multiple separate treatments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If electrical stimulation devices are used for neuropathic pain and circulation improvement, then therapeutic efficacy is enhanced, but treatment time increases causing patient discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetherapeutic efficacy for pain and circulationVSAvoidtreatment duration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical stimulation device employs periodic pulsed current delivery rather than continuous stimulation. By using intermittent pulses with optimized timing, the device maintains therapeutic efficacy for pain relief and circulation improvement while reducing the total treatment time and minimizing patient discomfort during procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If multiple separate treatments are applied for wound healing, then comprehensive care is provided, but treatment complexity and healthcare personnel intervention increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomprehensive wound careVSAvoidtreatment protocol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates multiple wound care functions (antibacterial protection, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory effects, and growth factor delivery) into a single composite wound dressing formulation. This consolidation maintains comprehensive wound care while significantly simplifying the treatment protocol and reducing the need for multiple separate interventions by healthcare personnel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If conventional wound dressings are used, then local wound care is provided, but neuropathic pain and circulation problems are not addressed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocal wound healingVSAvoidability to address multiple conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The wound dressing is enhanced with multi-functional properties including antibacterial agents, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds, allowing it to simultaneously address wound healing, infection prevention, and inflammation control. Additionally, the electrical stimulation component adds neuromodulatory and circulatory benefits, making the overall system versatile enough to treat multiple conditions associated with diabetic ulcers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The combination of the dressing film and FREMS electrical stimulation significantly accelerates wound healing in diabetic ulcers, achieving complete recovery in 12 days, with reduced inflammatory mediator levels and improved tissue repair compared to single treatments.

Implementation Method 1

The dressing is made in the form of films, fibrous mats, sponges and hydrogels for the in situ administration of antibiotics, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecules and growth factors

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

biomedical devices for therapeutic applications by electrical stimulation... provide for the emission through the skin, by means of electrodes applied to the skin itself, of electrical impulses configured according to particular sequences and according to particular parameters

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical stimulation: Electric Field

Implementation Method 3

Frequency and amplitude modulated neuronal electrical stimulation or FREMS... use of transcutaneous electrical currents, produced by sequential electrical impulses with variable frequency and duration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFrequency modulation: Phase Modulation

Data Source

PatentEP4419188B1Biomedical device for the treatment of ulcers or lesions
Publication Date: 2025.04.23 FREMSLIFE SRL
  • EP4419188B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4419188B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP4419188B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Biomedical device for the therapeutic treatment of ulcers or lesions, particularly diabetic ulcers, said device consisting of a kit comprising in combination an electro-stimulating device and a dressing comprising a pharmaceutical composition applied simultaneously to an ulcer.