A Potential Step Forward in Burn Care Treatment

Less pain, quicker healing, and minimizing the potentially life-threatening risk of infection could soon be a reality for burn survivors at Shriners Children’s. Inspired by our pediatric patients and the clinicians who work with them, Aslihan Gokaltun, Ph.D., a principal investigator at Shriners Children’s Boston, is leading a hydrogel research study, which began in 2020. Working with O. Berk Usta, Ph.D., an associate investigator at Shriners Children’s Boston, the pair bioengineered a first-of-its-kind hydrogel to help make the treatment process less uncomfortable for second-degree burn survivors.

“I witnessed many pediatric burn patients, explaining they were feeling under constant stress when it was time to change their dressings,” explained Dr. Gokaltun. That’s when she decided to explore how to make the process less painful.

“Research was done, and clinicians were asked what they would like to see in a burn dressing?’ They said it should be easily removable and pain-free,” Dr. Usta explained.

Hydrogels are typically applied directly onto wounds and then covered with gauze or similar protective dressings. These gels consist of a network of interconnected polymers, forming a mesh of highly-absorbent material. “Hydrogel can absorb a lot of water like a sponge, which can provide a moist environment for the wound,” explained Dr. Gokaltun. “It also cools and soothes the wound, which can accelerate the healing process.”

Current hydrogel dressings often adhere to wounds and necessitate removal, sometimes even requiring surgical intervention. This process can lead to "delayed healing, traumatization of newly-formed tissue, and severe pain for the patient," explained Dr. Gokaltun. To overcome these problems, the team’s objective was to create a hydrogel that could be rapidly dissolved on demand by a doctor, minimizing the reliance on medications, prolonged hospital stays and costs.