Spiderman Technology Invented to Treat Burns, Wounds, and Scars

Israel’s Nanomedic Technologies has invented the Spincare Wound Care System, a portable, handheld device that sprays healing fibres to serve as a dressing and promote healing. It shoots out its proprietary Electrospun Healing Fiber (EHF), a nanofibrous ink-like material that forms a transparent, permeable, breathable physical dressing to promote healing. It is sprayed using the handheld device seen in the picture above from a distance of 20 centimetres (less than 8 inches) and can be enhanced with antibacterial, collagen, adhesives, and even human embedded cell additives. It can be applied to hard-to-dress areas, allows patients to shower within 24 to 48 hours after application, and heal while returning to normal activities. When the wound has healed the EHF dries up and peels off.

Electrospinning is not a new technology. It has many industrial applications. But shrinking the machinery necessary to deliver it and creating the unique nanofibrous inks that serve as a skin substitute or bandage is.

As stated by Dr. Chen Barak, CEO of Nanomedic, recently in an interview with Doc Wire News, “We definitely think we have a paradigm shift in our hands….manufacturing…a fully personalized solution on the patient, on the wound, in real-time.” It doesn’t matter the wound size or its shape. Barak continues, “Our matrix is fitting fully to the morphology of the wound with 100% accuracy.” That makes it possible to apply it to hard-to-dress areas like a face or hands. Instead of being swaddled in bandages, EHF conforms to the geometry of a patient’s body and shape allowing her or him to appear more normal during healing, and become active faster. Once EHF is applied it quickly changes from opaque to transparent so that a doctor can assess the wound visually which means no need to remove, treat and redress the injury.

And what you can say about portability? The Spincare Wound System can be used almost anywhere. Barak notes it “can be in every clinic, in every school, in emergency services, in ambulances, and also at home.” Barak compares the Spincare system to an expresso machine because the EHF can come with so many different additives depending on usage requirements. The possibilities in wound care using embedded human cells alone will make the technology a formidable tool in the regenerative treatment of post-surgical wounds and scars.

Rambam Healthcare, a 1,000-bed academic hospital in northern Israel recently adopted the Spincare Wound System (see image below). It is being used to treat burn patients. Professor Yehuda Ullmann, Chair of the Surgical Department and Director of Plastic Surgery at Rambam, noted in a Cision PR Newswire release that Spincare “has many advantages, including protection against infection from contaminating bacteria and properties that allow it to optimally adhere to the injury in a way that regular dressings cannot.” He went on in describing its use stating, “The biggest benefit for patients is the avoidance of the pain often incurred from changing bandages, especially when treating children.” 

Spincare and EHF have been approved for use in the European Union and the FDA has indicated, as of last March, that the device can be marketed in the United States temporarily until it undergoes clinical review. FDA approval is pending.