A Review on Hydrogels with Photothermal Effect in Wound Healing and Bone Tissue Engineering

This review examined photothermal hydrogels, biomedically innovative materials responsive to near-infrared stimulation, which hold promise for enhancing infection control and tissue regeneration. The authors highlighted their unique properties, construction methods, and potential applications while also discussing existing challenges and future research directions.

This review discussed the potential of multifunctional photoresponsive hydrogels for wound regeneration, highlighting various types prepared with diverse photosensitizers and photothermal/photodynamic agents, and explored their role in modulating bacterial microenvironments to inhibit infection and promote healing.

Photocrosslinkable biomaterials can improve wound healing by controlling mechanical environments.

This study synthesized a temperature-sensitive hydrogel with strong antibacterial capabilities against S. aureus and E. coli, demonstrated via in vitro and in vivo tests, suggesting potential for antibiotic-free clinical applications when activated by near-infrared light.

This review highlights recent advances in hydrogel-based wound healing, noting that diverse hydrogel designs enhance healing and suggest potential for clinical translation, albeit with a need for more research on human applications.