Infection Control News: What’s the Story Behind Infection Detecting Sutures?
Innovations in the world of medical technology are on a vast spectrum, but even the seemingly simple choices in your technological advancements can make a significant impact. Anything that can change the course of medical technology for the better is worth mentioning. So in this article, we’d like to talk about a topic that while it may not be entirely new, but something incredible nonetheless.
We are fascinated by a high-school student, Dasia Taylor, that created an affordable new way to identify infections in wounds by using a new type of surgical suture. And now at the age of 19, the University of Iowa student and aspiring entrepreneur is now in the processing of patenting this new wave of low-cost suture technology that uses beetroot dye.
The News
The sea of an electronic type of suture that can detect infections has been in and out of testing for the last decade or so. In 2016, data was published on one type of these sutures, that work to identify infection using electronic sensors that monitor changes that could indicate infection; like changes in temperature, a change in pH, or electrical resistance. And there have been some other researchers working in breakthroughs in 2021 that focused on battery-free electronic sutures.
But the subject of our article today, Dasia Taylor, began researching her low-cost alternative in 2019. With a prior background in equity and reading about the data from the electronic sutures at the time, the look into low-cost alternatives was further spurred by her chemistry teacher suggested she researched a natural indicator. And through testing, Taylor found that the chemical in beetroot juice, betacyanin, changed from its normally bright red appearance to a dark purple when met with a change in pH levels.
What’s the Science Behind It?
While electronic sutures represent sophisticated high-tech monitoring, their manufacturing complexity and high material costs render them inaccessible in the low-resource
clinics and developing nations that arguably need instant, reliable diagnostics the most. Taylor’s innovation directly addresses this massive global healthcare equity gap. Electronic sensor sutures can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars per application, requiring specialized equipment for reading the data.
However, a thread dyed with a readily available, food-grade vegetable extract costs mere pennies. This greatly reduced cost profile means the technology could be deployed universally, ensuring that every patient—regardless of their economic status or geographic location—has access to early wound monitoring, preventing sepsis, amputation, and death. It transforms infection detection from an expensive, specialized procedure into a simple, visual inspection.
How Does It Bridge the Equity Gap?
While electronic sutures represent sophisticated high-tech monitoring, their manufacturing complexity and high material costs render them inaccessible in the low-resource clinics and developing nations that arguably need instant, reliable diagnostics the most. Taylor’s innovation directly addresses this massive global healthcare equity gap. Electronic sensor sutures can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars per application, requiring specialized equipment for reading the data.
However, a thread dyed with a readily available, food-grade vegetable extract costs mere pennies. This greatly reduced cost profile means the technology could be deployed universally, ensuring that every patient—regardless of their economic status or geographic location—has access to early wound monitoring, preventing sepsis, amputation, and death. It transforms infection detection from an expensive, specialized procedure into a simple, visual inspection.
From the Lab to the Patients
The immediate practical application of this beet-dyed suture is clear and highly effective. A healthcare worker, or even the patient themselves, can simply look at the suture to monitor the healing process. A bright red suture indicates a healthy, acidic wound; a purple or dark magenta suture provides an undeniable visual warning sign that an infection is brewing, requiring immediate intervention.
This ease of use also drastically reduces the required training time for medical personnel, making it ideal for large-scale distribution. Now 19, Dasia Taylor is taking the necessary steps to refine and commercialize her discovery, focusing on ensuring the dye is stable within the suture material during the entire healing process and that it can withstand rigorous sterilization procedures. Her ongoing work aims to bring this ingenious, low-cost solution from the chemistry lab to every hospital and clinic worldwide, proving that sometimes, the simplest ideas are the most revolutionary.
Final Thoughts
Dasia Taylor’s beetroot suture is far more than an ingenious science project; it is a powerful reminder that the most revolutionary medical solutions don’t always require multi-million dollar investments or complex electronics. By applying foundational chemistry to address a massive global health disparity, Taylor has created a low-cost, highly scalable diagnostic tool that could save countless lives by enabling instant, visual detection of wound infection anywhere in the world. As she moves her patented discovery toward commercialization, her work stands as a compelling testament: true innovation often lies not in building the most complicated device, but in finding the simplest, most elegant solution to a critical human problem.
If you’d like to read the story of Taylor’s discovery and future endeavors, we’ve provided links below to various websites that show you all you need to know. If you have any questions about infection control or anything else, give us a call at 704-966-1650. You can also find the links to our various consumer resources below.
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You can read the article on Dasia Taylor from InventED here.
You can read Smithsonian Magazine’s report on Dasia Taylor and her low-cost sutures here.