整形外科和美容杂志

Topical oxygen therapy using a novel hydrogel

Ralph Almeleh

Oxygen plays a critical and paramount role in all phases of wound healing but particularly the proliferative stage. For years scientists and surgeons have grappled with the idea of increasing its availability through a variety of methods. Recently, the idea of delivering oxygen topically has attracted the attention of researchers and clinicians and if successful would be a major breakthrough in the treatment of recalcitrant and chronic wounds. This technology appears to be at hand and is based on a bioengineered singular type of water with regenerative engendering properties. Chief among them is the water’s ability to deliver oxygen to hypoxic cells.  Furthermore, the water also contains ‘bioactive lipids’ in the form of glycolipids which not only lower the water’s surface tension but also stabilizes cell membranes as well as contribute to the skin’s overall immunity. This unique combination enables the water to act as the ideal therapeutic topical drug delivery system for skin wounds when it is formulated into a hydrogel.  Based on the clinical outcome of dozens of patients, these hydrogels appear to dramatically accelerate the body’s innate ability to repair itself following injury.