Chronic skin wounds are wounds in which the healing process is not completed in less than three months. These wounds are caused by various disorders that impair the normal healing process, resulting in major economic and quality of life losses. Infections are one of the main factors promoting chronification. This is exacerbated by the fact that chronic wounds have a high tendency to suffer from infectious processes, as they present bacterial overgrowth in the affected area and prolonged inflammation. 

With this in mind, the aim of the present research is to develop films as dressings based on natural polymers (collagen and chitosan) which, ultimately, may include clays with encapsulated antimicrobial drugs in their structure. To achieve the desired result, these films will be prepared and studied in terms of their mechanical (strength and flexibility, which must be suitable for proper fixing to the skin), and hydration properties (which must avoid excessive moisture or dryness in the wound site). The films with the best properties will be selected for use with the clays. 

Keywords: chronic wounds, biopolymeric films, chitosan, collagen. 

Directed by: Pablo José Hernández Benavides