Electric Eel-Inspired Bioelectromechanical Bandage with Biochemical-Photothermal-Piezoelectric Synergy for Promoting Postoperative Recovery in Diabetes

Shape-adaptive tissue-responsive adhesive patch (STRAP), inspired by the electric-eel’s bioelectric capabilities, is proposed to enhance postsurgical recovery in diabetes. STRAP integrates piezoelectric nanogenerators, photothermal materials, and shape-adaptive fibers to address diabetes-related challenges, including impaired wound healing, infection susceptibility, and regeneration deficits. Its biochemical and photothermal properties promote tissue adhesion through covalent bonding and conformational adaptability, ensuring rapid hemostasis and preventing wound adhesions. STRAP replicates the natural microenvironment for effective regeneration and transforms mechanical energy from acoustic stress into beneficial electrical signals, boosting cellular activity, inhibiting bacterial infection, and accelerating wound repair. Preclinical evaluations across multiple animal models demonstrate STRAP’s capacity to dynamically adapt to individual conditions and evolving environments, resulting in superior hemostatic performance in a pig liver injury model, postoperative adhesion prevention in the intestine and stomach, and wound healing acceleration in diabetic mouse, rat, and rabbit models. This underscores the promise of nature-inspired designs in tackling medical challenges. In summary, by integrating rapid hemostasis, infection control, tissue regeneration, and antiadhesion properties, STRAP provides a comprehensive solution for postoperative wound management and recovery.