Thermal Dynamics in Wound Healing
Summary
Thermal dynamics in wound healing examines how temperature distribution and heat flow influence the successive phases of tissue repair. Immediately after injury, an inflammatory response elevates local temperature through increased blood flow and metabolic activity, supporting immune cell recruitment and debridement. As healing progresses, a thermal gradient between the wound bed and surrounding skin promotes collagen synthesis, angiogenesis and epithelial cell migration. Deviations from optimal thermal profiles, whether hypothermic or hyperthermic, can impede cell proliferation, delay re-epithelialisation or foster infection. A clearer understanding of how temperature modulates enzyme kinetics, cytokine signalling and microvascular perfusion offers new opportunities for targeted interventions. Advances in non-invasive sensing and smart dressings now enable real-time mapping and modulation of wound temperature, with the potential to personalise therapy, predict complications and improve outcomes across diverse patient groups.
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Thermal Dynamics in Wound Healing publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in thermal dynamics in wound healing across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Thermal gradient: The difference in temperature between the wound bed and adjacent skin, which drives cell migration and tissue repair processes.
Normothermia: Maintenance of physiological tissue temperature, essential for optimal enzyme function and immune response during healing.
Infrared thermography: A non-contact imaging technique that detects surface heat emissions to generate temperature maps of wounds.
Periwound temperature: The temperature of skin immediately surrounding the wound margin, used as an indicator of vascular perfusion and inflammatory status.
Thermotropic liquid crystals: Temperature-sensitive materials that change optical characteristics in response to heat, applied here as conformable thermal sensors for real-time wound monitoring.
References
- What is the “normal” wound bed temperature? A scoping review and new hypothesis. Wound Repair and Regeneration (2021).
- Higher Periwound Temperature Associated with Wound Healing of Pressure Ulcers Detected by Infrared Thermography. Journal of Clinical Medicine (2021).
- Thermotropic Liquid Crystals for Temperature Mapping. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology (2022).
- Mobile Health–Based Thermometer for Monitoring Wound Healing After Endovascular Therapy in Patients With Chronic Foot Ulcer: Prospective Cohort Study. JMIR mHealth and uHealth (2021).
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