Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• The field of novel materials for diabetic foot wound treatment has experienced explosive growth from 2022 to 2025, indicating a rapidly expanding research area. • The United States leads in publication output, while China and India follow, highlighting global research contributions. • Hydrogels, tissue engineering scaffolds, and nanoparticle systems are prominent novel materials, offering promising strategies for wound healing. • Clinical translation and cost-effectiveness remain major challenges for the widespread application of these advanced materials.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In recent years, the convergence of materials science and biomedical engineering has opened new avenues for diabetic foot wound treatment. Novel biomaterials such as multifunctional hydrogels, tissue engineering scaffolds, and nanoparticle systems have become a research hotspot. OBJECTIVE: To analyze, through bibliometric analysis, the design principles and biological functions of novel materials used in diabetic foot wound treatment, their potential in addressing the complex pathological challenges of diabetic foot, and to forecast future directions and challenges in this field. METHODS: We searched the Web of Science database for literature on novel materials for diabetic foot wounds from database inception to June 2025, and used CiteSpace software for bibliometric visualization analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: From 1979 to 2025, the number of publications in the field of novel materials for diabetic foot wound treatment showed an overall fluctuating upward trend, with explosive growth from 2022 to 2025. The United States ranked first with 602 publications, followed by China (284 publications) and India (166 publications). By publication count, Sichuan University had the most publications, followed by Tehran University of Medical Sciences; by citation impact, Sichuan University had the highest total citation impact, followed by Nankai University. West China Hospital ranked first in publication count, followed by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital; by citation impact, West China Hospital had the highest impact, followed by Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Among companies, Success Bio-Tech Co. Ltd, Engineering Software Research and Development Inc, and Foot and Ankle Associates of Central Illinois LLC each had 2 publications, ranking first; by citation impact, Organogenesis Inc had the highest impact, followed by Food Industry Research Co. The journal Wounds had the most publications (96), followed by Foot Ankle Int (40) and Cureus (38). Among authors, Bus, Sicco A had the most publications (12), followed by Lázaro-Martínez, José Luis (8); by citation impact, GBD 2021 US Burden of Disease and Forecasting Collaborators, GBD 2021 Diabetes Collaborators, GBD 2021 US Obesity Forecasting Collaborators, GBD 2021 US Burden of Disease Collaborators, GBD 2021 Adult BMI Collaborators, GBD 2021 Adolescent BMI Collaborators, and GBD 2021 Causes of Death Collaborators had the highest impact. Keywords: diabetic foot; diabetic foot wound; diabetic foot ulcer; biomaterials; dressing; visualization analysis.
1. Introduction
Diabetes has become a major global public health challenge. Diabetic foot, as one of the most serious chronic complications of diabetes, imposes a huge burden on patients and is a leading cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputation [1-2]. The pathophysiology of diabetic foot wounds is extremely complex, involving multiple factors including peripheral neuropathy leading to loss of sensation in the foot, peripheral vascular disease causing local ischemia and hypoxia, and cellular dysfunction and persistent inflammation under hyperglycemic conditions [3-4]. Additionally, abnormally elevated protease activity in the wound microenvironment degrades newly formed extracellular matrix and growth factors, further hindering the healing process [5]. Bacterial infection and biofilm formation are another severe challenge, exacerbating inflammation and developing resistance to conventional antibiotics, making treatment more difficult [6-7].
Traditional treatments for diabetic foot wounds, such as debridement, offloading, and the use of conventional dressings (e.g., gauze), are essential components of basic care but often fail to effectively address the complex pathological challenges mentioned above [8-10]. An ideal wound dressing should provide a moist healing environment, effectively control infection, absorb exudate, and actively promote tissue regeneration, whereas traditional dressings have relatively single functions. Therefore, developing novel therapeutic strategies and advanced biomaterials that target the pathological microenvironment of diabetic foot wounds is of paramount importance.
In recent years, the convergence of materials science and biomedical engineering has opened new avenues for diabetic foot wound treatment. Novel biomaterials such as multifunctional hydrogels, tissue engineering scaffolds, and nanoparticle systems have become a research hotspot [11-14]. Therefore, this study employs bibliometric analysis to analyze the design principles and biological functions of novel materials used in diabetic foot wound treatment, their potential in addressing the complex pathological challenges, and to forecast future directions and challenges in this field.
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Xia Jinyan, Su Meifang, Yang Wenyu, Hu Qilan, Gong Li (2026). Application of novel materials in tissue repair of diabetic foot wounds. Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research. https://doi.org/10.12307/2026.21603
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most promising novel materials for diabetic foot wound treatment?
Multifunctional hydrogels, tissue engineering scaffolds, and nanoparticle systems are among the most promising novel materials. Hydrogels provide a moist environment and can deliver bioactive molecules; scaffolds support cell growth and tissue regeneration; nanoparticles offer targeted drug delivery and antimicrobial properties.
Which countries lead in research on novel materials for diabetic foot wounds?
According to the bibliometric analysis, the United States leads with 602 publications, followed by China (284) and India (166). These countries are at the forefront of research in this field.
What are the main challenges in translating novel materials for diabetic foot wounds to clinical use?
Key challenges include clinical translation hurdles, such as the need for large-scale rigorous clinical trials to confirm safety and efficacy in humans, and cost-effectiveness issues due to complex manufacturing processes and expensive raw materials.
What is the trend in research output on novel materials for diabetic foot wounds?
The number of publications has shown an overall upward trend from 1979 to 2025, with explosive growth particularly from 2022 to 2025, indicating a rapidly expanding research area.
Which institutions and authors are most influential in this field?
Sichuan University and West China Hospital are leading institutions in publication count and citation impact. Among authors, Bus, Sicco A and Lázaro-Martínez, José Luis have the highest publication counts, while GBD 2021 collaborator groups have the highest citation impact.
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