Creative wound care

At first glance, fish skin and clay seem like primitive tools in comparison to recent medical advancements like 3D-printed implants and AI-designed antibiotics. But new research suggests both materials could be the best treatment options for specific types of deep wounds.

The tragic New Year’s Day fire at Le Constellation bar in Switzerland’s Crans-Montana ski resort left 41 dead and many more hospitalized for severe burns. Lausanne University Hospital responded by partnering with Icelandic company Kerecis to treat burn victims with a cod skin–based fabric. Cod skin grafted onto a burn encourages healthy human cells to grow underneath the cod skin and heal the damaged tissue. Because the risk of transmitting viral disease or infection from cold-water fish to humans is low, the cod fish are minimally processed and retain their high omega-3 fatty acid content. These fatty acids are thought to accelerate healing. Dr. Anthony de Buys Roessingh, Lausanne University Hospital’s burns unit coordinator, reported that in some instances the cod graft completely closed up and healed skin under burn wounds without requiring any further treatment. The cod skin has been particularly beneficial for victims with burns covering over 30% of their bodies, burns too large to be sufficiently covered with healthy human skin alone.

Biomedical engineers at Texas A&M University have also recently developed an innovative bandaging method, using clay.

While applying pressure can stop external bleeding, no effective method exists for quickly stopping fatal internal bleeding. In a study published Feb. 6 in Advanced Science, the engineers detailed an injectable bandage composed of nanosilicate clay particles. The bandage, which reduced clotting time by around 70% in comparison to untreated controls, is delivered to the bleeding site with the help of an expanding foam. The foam expands only when exposed to body heat to quickly fill the wound site. The nanosilicate particles are frozen in place within the foam matrix, where they can target blood coagulation at the wound site without traveling to other sites to form undesirable blood clots. “If these materials get into the first aid kits in an ambulance as well as a soldier’s backpack, they can save a lot of lives,”study author Akhilesh Gaharwar said in a press release.

Sugar crash

It’s well known that sugary drinks like Red Bull, Coke, and frappuccino aren’t waistline-friendly. A recent analysis suggests these sweet beverages are also linked to heightened anxiety in teens. A team of British and Lebanese scientists analyzed nine studies on the relationship between diet and mental health. In a review article published Feb. 10 in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, they found that teenagers who heavily consumed sugary beverages were 34% more likely to have an anxiety disorder. The study authors noted that while their analysis does not show a causal relationship, it might be useful to perform studies evaluating whether cutting back on sugary drinks reduces anxiety symptoms. Nearly one-third of U.S. adolescents suffer from an ­anxiety disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. —H.F.