Toxicological Outcomes and Pharmacological Needs in Chronic Wound Healing

Chronic wound healing is an intricate process where tissue, often the epidermis, repairs itself after injury. Wound care technologies that accelerate the healing process are an emerging area of translational research for patients in the health care system as well as war fighters in field services. Accelerated wound healing refers to the efforts made, intrinsically or anthropogenically, to reduce the time required for the normal time course of the healing process to occur. Example research thrusts and prototypical products that have shown an increase to the healing process include endogenous (e.g. stem cell therapy), pharmaceutical (e.g. antiseptics), surgical (i.e. skin homograft), and topical (e.g. wound dressings). Controlling the continuum of wound injury-to-recovery is critical to minimizing inflammatory response, infection, fibrosis and scarring. There is a need to further develop analytical methods that implement safe and effective products and protocols that is cost-effective, easy to use, and is measureable by both patient and health care professionals. This perspective highlights recent technological advances in the field of wound healing with an emphasis on chronic wounds. The barriers that hinder go-to-market strategies are discussed along with recommendations to the wound management community.