Antimicrobial Wound Dressing Coating for Atraumatic Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wound dressings with antimicrobial properties often exhibit cytotoxicity to animal cells and have limited biocompatibility, and they fail to effectively address antibiotic-resistant bacteria, while also lacking atraumatic removal capabilities.

Innovation Solution

A wound dressing with a fiber-free nonwoven absorbent/irrigating core and a textile surface material coated with hyaluronic acid and polypeptides, such as polyarginine or polylysine, applied on the wound-facing side, which interacts minimally with the absorbent material to maintain antimicrobial activity and facilitate atraumatic removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If exogenous antimicrobial agents are used in wound dressings, then antimicrobial efficacy is improved, but cytotoxicity to animal cells increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantimicrobial efficacyVSAvoidcytotoxicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Hyaluronic acid serves as an intermediary substance that binds to the polypeptide antimicrobial agents, creating a coating that delivers antimicrobial activity while reducing direct cytotoxic effects on animal cells. The hyaluronic acid matrix modulates the interaction between the polypeptide and biological tissues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The antimicrobial activity is achieved through specific parameter ranges of polypeptide molecular weight (5-50 kDa) and concentration (0.1-10 µg/cm²) in the coating, which optimize antimicrobial efficacy while minimizing cytotoxicity. The molecular weight and charge density of the polypeptide are controlled to achieve the desired balance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the antimicrobial coating is applied to the absorbent/irrigating core, then direct contact with microorganisms is improved, but antimicrobial activity is reduced due to interaction with superabsorbent material

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantimicrobial activityVSAvoidinteraction with superabsorbent material
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The wound dressing is segmented into distinct functional layers: an absorbent/irrigating core for fluid management and a separate textile covering with antimicrobial coating for direct wound contact. This segmentation prevents the polypeptide from interacting with the superabsorbent material while maintaining separate optimization of each component's function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The textile material serves as an intermediary substrate that carries the antimicrobial coating to the wound surface without allowing direct contact between the polypeptide and the superabsorbent material in the core, thus preventing deactivation while enabling effective wound surface action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Area of stationary object

If conventional wound dressings are used, then wound coverage is achieved, but atraumatic removal capability is lacking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewound coverageVSAvoidatraumatic removal
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Hyaluronic acid in the coating acts as an intermediary that prevents direct adhesion between the dressing and wound bed tissues. Its hydrophilic nature and molecular structure create a non-stick interface that allows atraumatic removal while maintaining adequate wound coverage and moisture management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If polypeptide concentration is increased to enhance antimicrobial activity, then effectiveness against microorganisms is improved, but cytotoxicity to animal cells increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantimicrobial effectivenessVSAvoidcytotoxicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The coating uses a composite material system combining hyaluronic acid with polypeptide antimicrobial agents. This composite structure allows the hyaluronic acid to modulate the biological interaction of the polypeptide, enabling effective antimicrobial activity at lower polypeptide concentrations that are less cytotoxic to animal cells.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 dressing effectively kills microorganisms at the wound surface, prevents recontamination, and allows atraumatic removal, while being biocompatible and effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, promoting wound healing through moisture regulation and macrophage modulation.

Implementation Method 1

The absorbent/irrigating element is saturated with a saline aqueous solution, which causes the superabsorbent material to swell and become gel-like

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

the antimicrobial activity of the hyaluronic acid and polypeptides can be utilized directly at the wound surface. This allows microorganisms and biofilms to be destroyed, as the antimicrobial coating is primarily effective through direct contact with the microorganisms

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrostatic interaction: Electrostatics

Implementation Method 3

when the antimicrobial coating comes into contact with the superabsorbent material in the absorbent/irrigating element, the polypeptides interact with the typically negatively charged superabsorbent material, thereby reducing the antimicrobial activity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrostatic attraction: Electrostatics

Data Source

PatentEP4710952A1Wound dressing for wound treatment in a wet or wet environment
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 PAUL HARTMANN AG
  • EP4710952A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4710952A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP4710952A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The invention relates to a wound dressing (2) for wound treatment in moist or moist-wet environments, comprising a fiber fleece-based absorbent/irrigating body (4) in which superabsorbent material is distributed, wherein the absorbent/irrigating body (4) is supplied by the manufacturer with a saline aqueous solution, in particular Ringer's solution, and with a covering (6) forming the outer visible sides of the wound dressing, wherein the covering (6) on the wound-facing side of the wound dressing comprises a textile surface material (9), in particular made of a knitted, crocheted or woven fabric, wherein the covering (6) on the wound-facing side of the wound dressing has an antimicrobial coating (22) applied partially or completely to the outside, which comprises hyaluronic acid and a polypeptide selected from polyarginine, polylysine and polyornithine or a mixture of at least two of the aforementioned polypeptides.