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Bacterial Cellulose
used.as.effective.temporary.wound.coverings..For.instance,.bacterial.cellulose.was.used.to.fabricate.biocompatible,.biodegradable,.strongly.hydrated.
and. transparent. nanocomposites. containing. poly(L-lactic. acid). (Kim. et. al..
2009).or.poly(3-hydroxybutyrate).(Zhijiang.and.Guang.2011)..One.of.potential. medical. applications. of. these. nanocomposites. is. manufacturing. of.
wound.dressings..Also,.bacterial.cellulose–alginate.composite.sponges.have.
the. potential. to. be. used. as. wound. dressings. (Chiaoprakobkij. et. al.. 2011)..
These.biocompatible.sponges,.which.are.used.as.mucosal.flaps.in.oral.tissue.
regeneration,.were.fabricated.using.a.freeze-drying.process..Because.of.good.
tear.resistance.for.sewing,.great.mechanical.strength,.stability.in.water,.and.
excellent.water.uptake.ability,.these.nonadherent.bacterial.cellulose–alginate.
hydrogels.can.be.used.as.wound.dressings.
Other BNC Dressings
According.to.U.S..Patent.876,400.(Table 8.3),.strong.and.elastic.cellulose.films,.
having.mechanical.properties.superior.to.plant.derived.cellulose.membranes.
and.useful.as.wound.and.burn.dressings,.can.be.prepared.from.a.solution.of.
cellulose.produced.by.Acetobacter xylinum.in.a.stirred.tank..The.polymer.is.
then.dissolved.in.a.solvent.system.of.dimethylacetamide.and.lithium.. chloride..
The.resulting.solution.is.cast.onto.a.flat.surface.and.a.film.is.regenerated.in.
a.gelation.bath..After.incorporation.of.a.humectant.by.solvent.exchange.into.
the.film,.it.is.sterilized.and.packaged.for.long-term.storage.
An. amorphous. bacterial. cellulose. hydrogel. useful. for. treating. chronic.
burns. and. wounds. is. described. in. U.S.. Patent. application. 10,345,394.
(Table 8.3)..This.hydrogel.has.similar.fluid-handling.capability.as.the.wound.
dressing. described. in. the. patents. mentioned. earlier.. Its. flowable. nature.
allows.the.dressing.to.fill.areas.that.an.ordinary.pad.cannot.effectively.treat.
and,.as.a.result,.wound.healing.is.improved.
Applications of BNC Dressings
Microbial.cellulose.wound.dressings.are.versatile.and.accelerate.the.repair.of.
various.kinds.of.wounds..The.most.intensively.investigated.uses.are.briefly.
described.here.
Burns
The. classification. of. burns,. which. are. caused. by. too. high. temperature. or.
chemical.agents,.is.based.on.their.depth..The.deepest.burns.(third.degree).
often. result. not. only. in. destruction. of. the. epidermis. and. dermis,. but. also.
the.subcutaneous.tissue,.and.usually.require.the.application.of.skin.grafts..