Abstract
Chronic wounds are characterized by persistent infection, excessive oxidative stress, and dysregulated inflammation, which together hinder tissue repair and promote non-healing states. In this context, pH/ROS-responsive hydrogels have emerged as promising smart wound-dressing platforms because they can exploit local acidic and oxidative cues for site-specific structural change, controlled cargo release, and microenvironment-adaptive therapy. This review summarizes the pathological basis for pH/ROS-responsive intervention and discusses recent advances in hydrogel design for infection control, ROS scavenging, and immune microenvironment modulation. We further highlight key translational challenges, including manufacturing complexity, degradation-product safety, storage stability, and the limitations of current preclinical models. Overall, pH/ROS-responsive hydrogels represent a promising strategy for chronic wound management, but future progress will depend on achieving a better balance between multifunctional performance and translational practicality.