Diabetes Treatment: New 3D technology can revolutionize the treatment of diabetes, less money will have to be spend

Scientists at Queens University Belfast (UK) have found a way to treat diabetes-induced foot ulcers (DFU) that is effective as well as cheap. This bandage treatment is known as a scaffold. 

Ulcer treatment will be effective

The scaffolds produced by the 3D bioprinter slowly excrete antibiotics for four weeks, making ulcer treatment more effective. The study is published in the journal Drug Delivery and Translational Research.

Ulcer is a serious disease

Diabetes is a life-long disease, which occurs due to increased level of sugar in the blood.

It is also included in the 10 leading causes of death worldwide.

Ulcers in the feet of diabetic patients are a serious problem and about 25 percent of the patients have to face it.

By the time the ulcer is detected, the infection has spread in 50 percent of patients.

Treatment of DFU is a complicated process

Treatment of DFU is a complex process, involving multiple approaches. According to study author Dimitrios Lamprou, Professor of Biofabrication and Advanced Manufacturing at the Queen's School of Pharmacy, "These scaffolds are like windows, allowing doctors to continuously monitor treatment." They do not require frequent removal, thereby preventing the infection from progressing and preventing treatment. 

Lead author Katie Glover from Queen's School of Pharmacy concluded: Using bioprinting technology, we have developed a scaffold with mechanical properties suitable for wound healing, which can be easily modified to the shape of the wound.'

"This provides a low-cost alternative to existing DFU treatments, which could revolutionize DFU treatment, as the number of people with diabetes continues to grow every year," Glover said.