Development and characterization of carboxymethyl chitosan/sodium alginate/gelatin methacryloyl hydrogels as wound dressing materials

Oral mucosa and head and neck skin and soft tissue defects caused by open wounds are prone to bacterial infection and can result in tissue necrosis, poor healing, and other complications, all of which affect maxillofacial beauty and function. Ideally, dressings should keep the wound environment moist and help absorb the exudate on the surface. The CMC/ALG/GelMA hydrogel prepared in this study had the best swelling, flexibility, and elasticity compared with other wound dressing materials, and can significantly promote wound healing and re-epithelization. The prepared hydrogel can also dramatically facilitate the regeneration of oral mucosa and skin tissue.