Bandages change colour if infection occurs

Scientists in Munich have created a hi-tech dressing that changes colour if the wound underneath it becomes infected, enabling medical professionals to keep closer tabs on their patients’ injuries.

The dressing contains a dye that can monitor changes in the body’s pH levels, which means it turns purple if the wound becomes infected.

This allows doctors to keep a check on an injury without having to change the dressing each time, while also saving patients from unnecessary discomfort and reducing the risk of germs entering the wound.

A prototype of the dressing has already been produced and initial tests have proved successful. The researchers are now thinking about how to develop their innovation further.

There are plans to integrate optical sensor modules into the dressing to measure the pH value and indicate the results on a reader unit, which would allow the value to be read off precisely, providing information about how the wound is healing.

Meanwhile, doctors are looking for an industrial partner to produce the dressing commercially.

Medical and healthcare breakthroughs can prove to be lucrative business ventures, so it’s worth keeping an eye on the industry.