A water-powered electric bandage can heal serious wounds significantly quicker than conventional treatments, according to a new study.

The futuristic dressing uses an electric field to promote healing in chronic wounds and other injuries.

During animal testing, wounds treated with the electric bandages healed 30 per cent faster than wounds treated with conventional bandages. 

Best of all, researchers from North Carolina State University say that the bandage is cheap to produce. 

'These bandages can be produced at relatively low cost - we're talking about a couple of dollars per dressing in overhead costs,' said Dr Amay Bandokhar, co-author of the study.

Chronic wounds are defined as open wounds that heal slowly, if they ever heal at all.

For example, sores that occur in some patients with diabetes are chronic wounds.

Doctors say such wounds are 'particularly problematic' because they often recur after treatment and significantly increase the risk of amputation and even death.

One of the key challenges associated with chronic wounds is that existing treatment options are extremely expensive, which can create additional problems for patients.

Dr Bandodkar said: 'Our goal was to develop a far less expensive technology that accelerates healing in patients with chronic wounds.

'We also wanted to make sure that the technology is easy enough for people to use at home, rather than something that patients can only receive in clinical settings.'

The bandage is a 'water-powered, electronics-free dressing' (WPED) - a disposable bandage with electrodes on one side and a small, biocompatible battery on the other.

The dressing is applied to a patient so that the electrodes come into contact with the wound.

A drop of water is then applied to the battery, activating it. Once activated, the bandage produces an electric field for several hours.

Co-author Dr Rajaram Kaveti, also of North Carolina State University, said: 'That electric field is critical, because it's well established that electric fields accelerate healing in chronic wounds.'

The electrodes are designed so that they can bend with the bandage and conform to the surface of chronic wounds, which are often deep and irregularly shaped.

Dr Kaveti said: 'This ability to conform is critical, because we want the electric field to be directed from the periphery of the wound toward the wound's centre.

'In order to focus the electric field effectively, you want electrodes to be in contact with the patient at both the periphery and centre of the wound itself.

'And since these wounds can be asymmetrical and deep, you need to have electrodes that can conform to a wide variety of surface features.'

To put the bandages to the test, the researchers used diabetic mice.  

'We found that the electrical stimulation from the device sped up the rate of wound closure, promoted new blood vessel formation, and reduced inflammation, all of which point to overall improved wound healing,' said co-first author Maggie Jakus, a graduate student at Columbia University.

The researchers now hope to test the bandages on humans to see if they're as effective. 

Dr Bandodkar added: 'Next steps for us include additional work to fine-tune our ability to reduce fluctuations in the electric field and extend the duration of the field.

'We are also moving forward with additional testing that will get us closer to clinical trials and - ultimately - practical use that can help people.'