AlcaliNObacter

In a collaborative project focused on enhancing the well-being of rural populations in Colombia, thorough observations and interviews were conducted. Medical centers like Profamilia and the Juan N Corpas clinic were examined, along with interviews with healthcare professionals. Additionally, individ...

Full description

Autores:
Acosta Corredor, Laura Valentina
Ardila Rueda, Juan Felipe
Corredor Alzate, Loreana
Ojeda Alonso, Sebastián
Puentes Mozo, Juanita
Tipo de recurso:
Trabajo de grado de pregrado
Fecha de publicación:
2023
Institución:
Universidad de los Andes
Repositorio:
Séneca: repositorio Uniandes
Idioma:
eng
OAI Identifier:
oai:repositorio.uniandes.edu.co:1992/69110
Acceso en línea:
http://hdl.handle.net/1992/69110
Palabra clave:
AlcaliNObacter
Primary care
Colombia
Detecting and treating infections
Rural populations
Hydrogel
Waterproof dressing
Biocompatible adhesive
Broad-spectrum antibiotic
Antimicrobial properties
Tissue healing
Quality of life
Preventing infections
Chitosan
Bacterial infections
Wound infections
Ingeniería
Rights
openAccess
License
Atribución 4.0 Internacional
Description
Summary:In a collaborative project focused on enhancing the well-being of rural populations in Colombia, thorough observations and interviews were conducted. Medical centers like Profamilia and the Juan N Corpas clinic were examined, along with interviews with healthcare professionals. Additionally, individuals living near the La Copa dam in Boyaca were interviewed to validate the need for a product. The team identified a pressing need for improving primary care for sharp wounds in rural areas. Wound infections contribute significantly to the delayed healing of chronic open wounds and increase hospital costs. Detecting and treating these infections can lead to a 10% to 20% rise in expenses and extended hospital stays. While complete elimination of wound infections is not feasible, reducing the infection rate to a minimum level can greatly benefit patients' comfort and efficient use of medical resources. Therefore, offering a temporary solution to seal sharp wounds becomes crucial for preventing infections and improving people's quality of life in rural areas of Colombia. The product developed for addressing this pressing need is called AlcaliNObacter. It is a biocompatible adhesive and waterproof dressing that contains a hydrogel. AlcaliNObacter is designed to be included in Type A first aid kits as an immediate solution for isolating wounds when suturing is not available. The inclusion of a pH indicator allows for the identification of bacterial infections, while the hydrogel, composed of chitosan and 1% acetic acid, promotes tissue healing and provides antimicrobial properties. Additionally, the product incorporates a broad-spectrum antibiotic to minimize the risk of infections from various bacteria. AlcaliNObacter effectively shields the wound from the environment and prevents infection until a trained healthcare professional is able to suture the patient.