Nitric oxide released injectable hydrogel combined with synergistic photothermal therapy for antibacterial and accelerated wound healing

Abstract Single method to treat bacterial infected wound usually cannot reach high antibacterial ability and wound healing efficiency in the same time. This highlights the need to develop a dressing that can achieve both of these goals. Here, we developed a double-crosslinked hydrogel, loaded with near-infrared laser-triggered nitric oxide (NO) release nanoparticles which combined photothermal effect in the same time, to synergistically treat bacterial infected wound. The released NO not only can enhance the antibacterial effect of hydrogel but also promote collagen deposition and angiogenesis in the same time, that accelerated would healing. Besides, the hydrogel can be extruded from syringe to fully cover irregular wound, and the mechanical strength of hydrogel was then strengthened by photo-crosslinking. This in-situ fast-curing hydrogel can heat up and release NO under the irradiation of 808 nm near infrared laser, that possessed a higher healing rate comparing to commercial Aquacel Ag dressing. Therefore, the NO released hydrogel working synergistically with photothermal therapy would be a promising way to treat bacterial infected wound.