Photo, video Teachers and students of the National University “Lviv Polytechnic” have developed, patented and are producing hydrogel dressings for wounded defenders based on natural polymers.
A Ukrinform correspondent reports this.
“Our scientific group works with special-purpose polymers. At one time, the trend in science began to shift towards polymers for medical use, and we were no exception. In advanced countries, the method of wet wound healing has been practiced for several decades, in which hydrogel polymer dressings are used. First, we developed a hydrogel reinforced polyacrylamide dressing, which was introduced in Kyiv at the Ukrtekhmed enterprise. As part of this development, we have gained experience and understood the weaknesses. We are currently creating therapeutic hydrogel dressings based on natural polymers. In particular, sodium alginate from brown algae and pectin, which we get from apples,” said Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Organic Chemistry at Lviv Polytechnic National University. Vladimir Samarik.
The use of natural polymers significantly distinguishes products from analogues not only in Ukraine, but also in the world. After all, most companies that produce modern dressings make them from synthetic materials.
<img title="Lviv Polytechnic has developed and is producing hydrogel dressings for wound healing" src="https://baltimorechronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/53348de30470a46b4dc00b92d0774d38.jpg" alt="Lviv Polytechnic has developed and produce hydrogel dressings"The Lviv Polytechnic University has developed and is producing hydrogel dressings for the Armed Forces of Ukraine/Photo: Anastasia Smolienko, Ukrinform
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Bandages relieve pain and also serve as an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, and regenerative agent. The scientist emphasized that observations indicate that the use of hydrogel dressings accelerated the healing of postoperative sutures by an average of 30%, and sometimes by 50%.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, university scientists, together with students, have produced and donated more than 230 thousand such bandages to front-line hospitals and medical units. They had to be made in different classrooms; there were not enough materials, space and equipment, which slowed down the process. Lvov OVA allocated for NU “Lvov Polytechnic” 700 thousand UAH for equipment and helps manufacturers of dressings with certification. Philanthropists helped with the renovation of the premises and the purchase of raw materials for the production of medicinal bandages.
“We have now moved to a new premises, which now has modernized equipment. The pilot installation was developed by mechanics and chemistry students from Lviv Polytechnic. If previously our production cycle lasted five days, now it has been reduced to three. This is a more scientific installation than a production one, but in a month it can make 35-40 thousand dressings,” Smarik added. 7-10 young polytechnicians are working on the production of bandages under the guidance of four scientists. Volunteers who are responsible for a particular segment often come to help. Bonds are not currently for sale, but military units may fill out requests to obtain them. To do this, you should contact the Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies of Lviv Polytechnic. The university says that at first about 30 military units worked directly, but now they have established cooperation with volunteer centers.
As Ukrinform reported, the startuppers of NU "Lviv Polytechnic" created a SHI collar for cats, which, using artificial intelligence, translates animal sounds into a form understandable to humans. The gadget works like a fitness bracelet.