Hydrogels are three-dimensional, hydrophilic polymer networks capable of absorbing and retaining significant amounts of water or biological fluids. They are valuable biomaterials due to their remarkable properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and flexible mechanical and chemical characteristics. These properties make them ideal for diverse applications in various fields, including various biomedical applications.1,2 In this article, we dive into the innovative applications of hydrogels for medical use.
Read to the end to find out all the amazing uses and benefits these materials can offer.
Medical Applications of Hydrogels
Hydrogels are used in a wide range of medical applications, from drug delivery to tissue engineering and animal care, etc. Below we dive into how this amazing material can be used throughout the medical industry.
1. Wound and Burn Care
Hydrogels have become a prominent innovation in wound and burn care as they create an environment conducive to healing. Hydrogels are known to fill irregular wound shapes and offer a barrier against exogenous contaminants. This is useful in managing various types of wounds, especially chronic and burn wounds.3-5
The hydrophilic nature of these materials allows them to absorb exudates. This helps maintain moisture, prevent the wound from drying out, and promotes a conducive healing environment.4,5
In clinical settings, hydrogels have also been shown to accelerate healing and improve patient comfort by minimizing pain.5,6
2. Drug and Gene Delivery
Hydrogels have also been a source of great interest in the fields of drug and gene delivery. This is because the three-dimensional polymeric network allows a wide range of drugs, proteins, and genetic material to be encapsulated in hydrogels.
Hydrogels facilitate controlled drug delivery through diffusion or swelling mechanisms, thus ensuring sustained therapeutic effect and limited side effects.7,8
In addition, the technology has evolved to develop stimulus-responsive delivery systems that can release drugs in response to pH or temperature changes.9 Hydrogels also act as scaffolds for localized gene delivery that improves transfection efficiency and protects genetic materials from degradation.
Lastly, they allow sustained plasmid release, making them useful for gene therapy and tissue regeneration applications.10,11
3. Bio-Adhesives
Hydrogels serve as bio-adhesives due to their unique properties, including biocompatibility, mechanical strength, and the ability to adhere to wet surfaces. For example, chitosan-based hydrogels are the most interesting in terms of their potential for bio-adhesion. The inherent positive charge nature of chitosan explains its tendency toward negatively charged surfaces, which include mucosal tissues to enhance adhesion.12
Hydrogels for medical use can further be tailored to possess a self-healing ability. This is a great property that ensures the persistence of function after mechanical stresses or damages. This becomes very critical in applications where the adhesive bond may encounter dynamic forces. Examples of this would be with wound healing and tissue repair.13,14
4. Bioelectrode Devices
Conductive hydrogels have also become accepted in bioelectrode applications. This is due to their tissue-like softness, conformal interaction with living tissues, and enhanced signal acquisition. Injectable conductive hydrogels (ICHs) have further improved bioelectrode performance in terms of superior sensitivity towards electromyography signals, tunable degradability, and a comfortable interface with biological systems.
Further, Hydrogel’s self-healing and adhesive properties ensure durability and functionality in dynamic environments. As a result, it is aptly suitable for long-term applications in wearable bioelectronic devices.15,16
5. Dental Materials in Odontology
Hydrogels have proved to be versatile materials in several dental applications. These range from pulp therapy and tissue engineering to drug delivery and infection control.
For instance, Hydrogels are considered to be a good scaffold material in tissue engineering because of their natural extracellular matrix-like structure. This is applicable in the repair of damage caused to dental pulp and periodontal tissue.17
Another interesting application of hydrogels is the sealing and lubrication of dental implants. This facilitates better integration of the implant with the surrounding tissues and reduces the risk of complications both during and after the procedure.18
Hydrogels are also vital in the regeneration of dental pulp and other supporting tissues. The three-dimensional (3D) biomimetic models using Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels provide a platform to allow interaction between dental epithelial and mesenchymal cells. This enables differentiation and tissue formation.19
Moreover, Hydrogels doped with antimicrobial agents have been developed as temporary filling materials. These show improved therapeutic efficacy in dental applications. These hydrogels, in addition to acting as a physical barrier, also actively combat bacterial colonization and thus reduce the risk of secondary infections.20
6. Tissue Engineering
Hydrogels have also become a critical element in tissue engineering. This is because their properties mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM), providing favorable conditions for cell growth and tissue regeneration.
Chitosan and poly(vinyl alcohol) methacrylate hydrogels have been utilized as scaffolds that are highly similar to the mechanical properties of native tissues. This allows for better cell adhesion and proliferation.21
Dextran-gelatin hydrogels have also been used for cartilage tissue engineering. They provide a highly swollen, three-dimensional environment that favors nutrient diffusion and waste removal.22
Injectable chitosan-hyaluronic, acid-based hydrogels have also been shown to support adipose tissue regeneration because of their biodegradable nature. This allows for controlled degradation and cell infiltration.23
In addition, with recent advancements in 3D printing techniques, complex hydrogel scaffolds have been developed with high architectural precision that is able to more closely reproduce the structure of natural tissues.24
7. Animal Health
Hydrogels have also become increasingly important in the promotion of animal health. Among the most dangerous dermatoses in pet clinical medicine are fungal dermatoses in dogs and cats. These can occasionally have a major influence on the everyday behavioral activities of both species.
Hydrogel microneedles have shown potential for the treatment of fungal dermatoses in animals. These microneedles can improve drug absorption and circumvent the first-pass effect when compared to conventional oral treatment.25
Stimuli-responsive hydrogels have also shown promise as a rectal drug delivery system for animals with colorectal disorders. The animal is injected with a liquid hydrogel, which changes into a semi-solid hydrogel when stimulated by pH or temperature.25,26
8. Waste Water Treatment
Hydrogels have emerged as a promising solution for wastewater treatment. The most important advantage of hydrogels in wastewater treatment is their high adsorption capacity for heavy metal ions. The hydrophilic nature of these hydrogels allows them to hold large amounts of water, facilitating the removal of toxic ions such as Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺, and Hg²⁺ from contaminated water sources. 27
Another vital application of hydrogels in water systems is to decontaminate and purify water from harmful and unwanted microorganisms.28
These applications are important because heavy metals and harmful microorganisms are dangerous to human health and aquatic ecosystems.
9. Hydrogels in Ophthalmology (Eye Health)
Hydrogel eye patches have emerged as a novel therapeutic approach for managing various ocular conditions. These include dry eye syndrome, and post-surgical recovery.
These patches leverage the unique properties of hydrogels, such as biocompatibility, moisture retention, and the ability to deliver therapeutic agents. These characteristics make them suitable for direct application to the eye.29
Self-healing hydrogel eye patches have also been developed that exhibited strong adhesion to ocular tissues and effectively seal ocular wounds without the need for sutures.30
Hydrogel patches also show promise in postoperative care. Patches using this material could provide effective protection and support healing. At the same time they can reduce the discomfort and muscle fatigue associated with traditional eye patches.31,32
Furthermore, Silicone hydrogels have revolutionized the contact lens market. They greatly improve comfort, oxygen permeability, and general performance compared to conventional contact lenses.
Their high oxygen permeability minimizes complications associated with hypoxia. This makes them perfect for extended wear without compromising corneal health. Furthermore, their therapeutic agent incorporation ability allows the localized treatment of ocular conditions. This can reduce the dependence on frequent eye drops amongst other benefits.33-35
Hydromer® Hydrogels: Innovative Solutions and Services for Medical Applications
Hydromer®, Inc. is a hydrogel manufacturer that specializes in advanced, custom hydrogel technologies. Our patented formulations are based on hydrophilic PVP polymers and chitosan derivatives. These materials can be used for a diverse range of medical applications.
What makes Hydromer Hydrogels so beneficial? Our materials:
- Offer exceptional biocompatibility, stability, and mechanical strength
- Provide natural cooling properties, enhance wound healing, and ensure patient comfort due to their non-irritating and bioabsorbable nature.
- Support controlled drug delivery for transdermal, iontophoretic, and transmucosal systems.
- Have tailored adhesive and viscoelastic properties that promote secure closure and healing
- Enhance bio-electrode performance, improve dental product durability, and adapt to water purification and animal health management needs
- Are custom formulated and exhibit a high level of versatility and innovation.
Key Benefits of Hydromer Hydrogels
We use only the highest quality ingredients in our highly bio-compatible polymeric gel systems. As a result, our Hydrogels have excellent physical strength, stability, and many other desired properties.
Below are some of the key benefits of our materials:
- Safe and Non-Irritant: Suitable for sensitive medical and personal care applications.
- Customizable Properties: Tailored visco-elasticity, adhesion, gelation time, and elution rates.
- Bio-Compatibility and Stability: Ideal for live cell transfer and various therapeutic uses.
- Cooling Effect: Naturally soothing for wound and burn care applications.
Services Offered by Hydromer
What sets us apart from other hydrogel manufacturers is our full service offering. Our team of technical experts can work with you to create a custom formulation that meets the needs and goals of your project.
In addition to supplying high-quality products, we offer the following services:
- Contract Manufacturing: Once your material is develop we can provide in-house contract manufacturing, custom machine building, and technology transfer services.
- Research and Development: Our company has a team of experts, an ISO facility, and specialized formulation and testing capabilities. All these resources allow us to help develop advanced hydrogel solutions for your company.
- Analytical Testing: Specialized testing services to meet specific application needs.
- Technology Transfer: Once your material is formulated and tested we can provide technology transfer services. This insures easy adaptation of hydrogel technologies in your facility.
Hydromer is committed to innovation and customer satisfaction. As a result, we are a trusted partner for businesses looking for support in sophisticated hydrogel technologies and services.
Conclusion
Hydrogels are multi-functional biomaterials. They have experienced numerous advanced innovations over the years. As a result these materials have changed the face of treatment and therapies in the medical sphere. Hydromer Inc. advanced technology allows customized hydrogels to be used in medical applications ranging from wound care to drug delivery and tissue engineering. As the need for adaptable, biocompatible materials continues to grow, Hydromer® hydrogels will propel future breakthroughs in medical science and technology.
Contact us now for more information or to start your project.
References
1. Hoffman AS. Hydrogels for biomedical applications. Advanced drug delivery reviews. 2012;64:18-23.
2. Patel DK, Jung E, Priya S, Won S-Y, Han SS. Recent advances in biopolymer-based hydrogels and their potential biomedical applications. Carbohydrate polymers. 2024;323:121408.
3. Zhang L, de Salvo R, Trapp S, et al. Evaluation of BepanGel Hydrogel Efficacy and Tolerability Using an Abrasive Wound Model in a Within-Person, Single-Center, Randomized, Investigator-Blind Clinical Investigation. Dermatology and therapy. Oct 2020;10(5):1075-1088. doi:10.1007/s13555-020-00432-5
4. Tatarusanu SM, Lupascu FG, Profire BS, et al. Modern Approaches in Wounds Management. Polymers (Basel). Sep 4 2023;15(17)doi:10.3390/polym15173648
5. Goh M, Du M, Peng WR, Saw PE, Chen Z. Advancing burn wound treatment: exploring hydrogel as a transdermal drug delivery system. Drug Delivery. 2024/12/31 2024;31(1):2300945. doi:10.1080/10717544.2023.2300945
6. Sun D, Chang Q, Lu F. Immunomodulation in diabetic wounds healing: The intersection of macrophage reprogramming and immunotherapeutic hydrogels. Journal of Tissue Engineering. 2024/01/01 2024;15:20417314241265202. doi:10.1177/20417314241265202
7. Lei L, Bai Y, Qin X, Liu J, Huang W, Lv Q. Current Understanding of Hydrogel for Drug Release and Tissue Engineering. Gels. May 15 2022;8(5)doi:10.3390/gels8050301
8. Jin X, Wei C-x, Wu C-w, Zhang W. Customized Hydrogel for Sustained Release of Highly Water-Soluble Drugs. ACS Omega. 2022/03/15 2022;7(10):8493-8497. doi:10.1021/acsomega.1c06106
9. Thang NH, Chien TB, Cuong DX. Polymer-Based Hydrogels Applied in Drug Delivery: An Overview. Gels. 2023;9(7). doi:10.3390/gels9070523
10. Lei Y, Huang S, Sharif-Kashani P, Chen Y, Kavehpour P, Segura T. Incorporation of active DNA/cationic polymer polyplexes into hydrogel scaffolds. Biomaterials. Dec 2010;31(34):9106-16. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2010.08.016
11. Lei Y, Rahim M, Ng Q, Segura T. Hyaluronic acid and fibrin hydrogels with concentrated DNA/PEI polyplexes for local gene delivery. Journal of Controlled Release. 2011/08/10/ 2011;153(3):255-261. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2011.01.028
12. Perchyonok VT, Reher V, Zhang S, Basson N, Grobler S. Evaluation of Nystatin Containing Chitosan Hydrogels as Potential Dual Action Bio-Active Restorative Materials: in Vitro Approach. Journal of Functional Biomaterials. 2014;5(4):259-272. doi:10.3390/jfb5040259
13. Zheng Z, Chen X, Wang Y, et al. Self-Growing Hydrogel Bioadhesives for Chronic Wound Management. Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla). Oct 2024;36(41):e2408538. doi:10.1002/adma.202408538
14. Nezhad-Mokhtari P, Hasany M, Kohestanian M, Dolatshahi-Pirouz A, Milani M, Mehrali M. Recent advancements in bioadhesive self-healing hydrogels for effective chronic wound care. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science. 2024/12/01/ 2024;334:103306. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2024.103306
15. Park J, Lee S, Lee M, Kim H-S, Lee JY. Injectable Conductive Hydrogels with Tunable Degradability as Novel Implantable Bioelectrodes. Small. 2023/05/01 2023;19(21):2300250. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202300250
16. Quan L, Tie J, Wang Y, et al. Mussel-inspired chitosan-based hydrogel sensor with pH-responsive and adjustable adhesion, toughness and self-healing capability. Polymers for Advanced Technologies. 2022/06/01 2022;33(6):1867-1880. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/pat.5643
17. Ye S, Wei B, Zeng L. Advances on Hydrogels for Oral Science Research. Gels. May 15 2022;8(5)doi:10.3390/gels8050302
18. Cao X, Cai X, Chen R, Zhang H, Jiang T, Wang Y. A thermosensitive chitosan-based hydrogel for sealing and lubricating purposes in dental implant system. Clinical implant dentistry and related research. Apr 2019;21(2):324-335. doi:10.1111/cid.12738
19. Khayat A, Monteiro N, Smith EE, et al. GelMA-Encapsulated hDPSCs and HUVECs for Dental Pulp Regeneration. Journal of dental research. Feb 2017;96(2):192-199. doi:10.1177/0022034516682005
20. Chandran MR, Usha R. Bio Evaluation of Lantibiotic Nisin Loaded Polyvinyl Alcohol–Sodium Alginate Crosslinked Hydrogel As Novel Dental Temporary Filling Material. Journal of Pure & Applied Microbiology. 2023;17(4)
21. Thai NLB, Beaman HT, Perlman M, Obeng EE, Du C, Monroe MBB. Chitosan Poly(vinyl alcohol) Methacrylate Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering Scaffolds. ACS Applied Bio Materials. 2024/12/16 2024;7(12):7818-7827. doi:10.1021/acsabm.3c01209
22. Pan JF, Yuan L, Guo CA, et al. Fabrication of modified dextran-gelatin in situ forming hydrogel and application in cartilage tissue engineering. Journal of materials chemistry B. Dec 21 2014;2(47):8346-8360. doi:10.1039/c4tb01221f
23. Tan H, Rubin JP, Marra KG. Injectable in situ forming biodegradable chitosan-hyaluronic acid based hydrogels for adipose tissue regeneration. Organogenesis. Jul-Sep 2010;6(3):173-80. doi:10.4161/org.6.3.12037
24. Ma S, Zheng X, Zhang C, Heran W, Li H. Gelatin-Sodium Alginate Hydrogel Processing by Low-Temperature 3D Printing. 2015:523-532.
25. Yang Y, Cai C, Guo Y, Mohsin M, Yin G, Wang L. Applications and Perspectives of Hydrogels in Veterinary Medicine. Technology. 2024;
26. Pareek A, Maheshwari S, Cherlo S, Thavva RSR, Runkana V. Modeling drug release through stimuli responsive polymer hydrogels. International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 2017/10/30/ 2017;532(1):502-510. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2017.09.001
27. Muya FN, Sunday CE, Baker P, Iwuoha E. Environmental remediation of heavy metal ions from aqueous solution through hydrogel adsorption: a critical review. Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research. 2016;73(5):983-92. doi:10.2166/wst.2015.567
28. Akinsemolu AA, Onyeaka H. Advances in Hydrogel Polymers for Microbial Control in Water Systems. Polymers. 2024;16(15). doi:10.3390/polym16152205
29. Pang Y, Wei C, Li R, et al. Photothermal conversion hydrogel based mini-eye patch for relieving dry eye with long-term use of the light-emitting screen. International journal of nanomedicine. 2019;14:5125-5133. doi:10.2147/ijn.s192407
30. Zheng C, Xi H, Wen D, et al. Biocompatibility and Efficacy of a Linearly Cross-Linked Sodium Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel as a Retinal Patch in Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Repairment. Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology. 2022;10:914675. doi:10.3389/fbioe.2022.914675
31. Mangan MS, Tekcan H, Yurttaser Ocak S. Efficacy of Bandage Contact Lenses versus Eye Patching in Early Postoperative Period of Müller’s Muscle-Conjunctival Resection. Ophthalmic research. 2021;64(1):139-144. doi:10.1159/000512470
32. Shirzaei Sani E, Kheirkhah A, Rana D, et al. Sutureless repair of corneal injuries using naturally derived bioadhesive hydrogels. Science advances. Mar 2019;5(3):eaav1281. doi:10.1126/sciadv.aav1281
33. Li J, Zhang X, Zheng Q, et al. Comparative Evaluation of Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses and Autologous Serum for Management of Sjögren Syndrome-Associated Dry Eye. Cornea. Sep 2015;34(9):1072-8. doi:10.1097/ico.0000000000000515
34. Lee D, Cho S, Park HS, Kwon I. Ocular Drug Delivery through pHEMA-Hydrogel Contact Lenses Co-Loaded with Lipophilic Vitamins. Scientific Reports. 2016/09/28 2016;6(1):34194. doi:10.1038/srep34194
35. Chang WH, Liu PY, Lin MH, et al. Applications of Hyaluronic Acid in Ophthalmology and Contact Lenses. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). Apr 24 2021;26(9)doi:10.3390/molecules26092485
