DermaSpin: Handheld Device for Contactless Application of an Antibacterial Nanofiber Matrix for Rapid Wound Healing at the Point-of-Care

Up to 20% of combat casualties are related to burns. 80% of these burns involve less than 20% of total body surface area making them non-life threatening if treated properly, but burns pose a high risk of infection due to loss of skin barrier as well as the associated systemic inflammatory response. More than 1 in 3 service members wounded in action experienced an infection during OIF and OEF; with over half of these being skin, soft tissue, or bone infections. Significant morbidity is associated with these infections including prolonged hospitalization, disfigurement, disability, and oftentimes, medical discharge from military service entirely. In the next impending conflict, combat medics are expected to experience conditions they have never seen before including:Enemy fire reducing time available for treatment of casualtiesEquipment limitations: medics will only have what they can carry in their medical bagSignificantly delayed evacuation times (up to four days predicted) In these prolonged field care settings, combat medics will require unique solutions to treating battlefield wounds and burns since immediate skin grafting/surgery will not be an option. Allografts are difficult to store on the battlefield (require refrigeration or dehydration) and dressings must be changed regularly– without a sterile, moist environment each of these dressing changes increases the risk of infection. Infection in a traumatic injury site hinders regeneration, and can quickly lead to morbidity or mortality. Even when available, however, allograft skin surgery is very painful during the healing process and is not possible for large wound areas.  Unlike traditional wound dressing patches, Matregenix’s handheld device, DermaSpin, deposits a lightweight, non-inflammatory matrix onto the skin that adheres on its own, conforming to any shape or geometry without skin contact. All that is needed on the operator’s side is to aim DermaSpin at the wound and press a button. This eliminates the need for additional fixation products and spares the patient from the discomfort of pressing on wounds. Additionally, DermaSpin is embedded with antibacterial agents to prevent infection and can treat 20.5 sq ft (100% of an average adult body) in under 5 minutes using entirely shelf-stable materials– no special storage conditions required with a 3-year shelf-life.  Furthermore, DermaSpin’s nanofiber dressings do not need changing for up to 21 days  after initial application– significantly reducing the risk of acquiring an infection. These nanofiber dressings stand to replace the need for frequent dressing as the patient’s own tissue grows into its microstructure architecture keeping the wound site moist as it slowly dissolves. Designed for emergency situations and/or austere environments and usable by those without medical training, DermaSpin will revolutionize battlefield medicine by reducing infection risks without the discomfort of re-dressing.