Chronic wounds are a serious health problem that affect millions of people around the world, especially older adults and people with diabetes. Unlike normal cuts or injuries, these wounds do not heal within a few weeks.
Instead, they remain open for months or even years, causing pain, infection, and a high risk of amputation. As populations age and diabetes becomes more common, doctors are seeing more patients whose wounds simply refuse to heal. For many families, the fear of losing a foot or leg becomes a harsh reality.
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have developed a new treatment that may help prevent these life-changing amputations.
They created a special gel that delivers oxygen directly into deep tissue, helping wounds heal from the inside out. Their work focuses on a key reason why chronic wounds fail to recover: a severe lack of oxygen in damaged tissue.
When the body is injured, healing usually happens in several stages. First, inflammation clears away damaged cells and bacteria. Next, new blood vessels form to bring nutrients and oxygen. After that, tissue rebuilds and the wound gradually closes.
However, in chronic wounds, this process gets stuck. Poor circulation, nerve damage, or disease can prevent enough oxygen from reaching the injury. Without oxygen, cells cannot grow properly, infection spreads more easily, and the wound becomes trapped in a harmful cycle of inflammation and decay.
The new gel works by solving this oxygen shortage. It is made from a soft material that contains water and a special liquid that is safe for the body and helps fight bacteria.
When connected to a tiny battery similar to those used in hearing aids, the gel produces a slow and steady stream of oxygen by splitting water molecules. Instead of delivering oxygen only to the surface, the gel fills the wound’s shape, reaching deep areas where oxygen is most needed.
Another advantage is that the oxygen release continues for weeks rather than minutes or hours. Healing tissue needs a stable supply of oxygen for a long time, especially while new blood vessels are forming. The researchers found that the gel could provide oxygen for up to a month, allowing the wound to behave more like a normal injury that heals naturally.
In experiments using older and diabetic mice, which have wounds similar to those in elderly humans, untreated injuries often failed to heal and sometimes became fatal. When the oxygen gel was applied and replaced regularly, the wounds closed in about three weeks and the animals survived.
This result suggests the treatment could dramatically improve recovery for patients who currently have limited options.
The gel also contains a substance called choline that helps calm excessive inflammation. Chronic wounds often produce harmful molecules that damage healthy cells and slow healing. By providing steady oxygen and reducing inflammation at the same time, the gel helps restore balance so the body can repair itself.
This innovation may also have future uses beyond wound care. Scientists trying to grow replacement tissues and organs face the same challenge of delivering oxygen to deep cells. The technology behind this gel could help support these efforts, bringing new hope to patients waiting for transplants.
While the results are promising, experts note that more research is needed before the treatment can be used in hospitals. Animal studies do not always predict human outcomes, and scientists must confirm that the gel is safe, effective, and practical for real patients. The cost, ease of use, and long-term effects will also need careful evaluation.
Overall, the study highlights the importance of addressing the root cause of chronic wounds rather than only treating symptoms. By targeting oxygen deprivation directly, the researchers offer a new strategy that could reduce amputations and improve the quality of life for millions of people.
If future trials confirm these findings, the oxygen gel could become a powerful tool that helps the body heal itself when it otherwise cannot.
If you care about pain, please read studies about vitamin K deficiency linked to hip fractures in old people, and these vitamins could help reduce bone fracture risk.
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