Month: December 2018

SHOREVIEW, Minn., and TORONTO, On, Nov 30 2018. Maxwell Healthcare Associates (MHA), a post-acute operational, financial, technological and regulatory consulting firm, today announced Swift Skin and Wound as its exclusive digital wound care management solution of choice for MHA home health clients.

The partnership comes just a few weeks before the January 2019 rollout of new Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services rules surrounding pressure ulcer prevention and management.

“At Maxwell we believe technology is key to not only surviving but thriving amid constant regulatory changes and reimbursement cuts,” said MHA CEO Tom Maxwell. “We began searching for a wound care technology for our clients and found it in Swift. More than 1,000 facilities are already successfully leveraging Swift Skin and Wound for better clinical outcomes. It’s the only one with a home health-specific focus build that allows home health clinicians to document in and out of the home.”

Swift Skin and Wound significantly improves clinical and administrative wound care management workflows through: the Swift app, which captures wound care information as easily as taking a picture; the Swift HealX, an FDA-registered adhesive marker applied to calibrate wound images for size, color and lighting; and Swift Dashboards that display real-time healing and treatment to help clinicians and administrators identify risks immediately and improve care … read more

Skin has a remarkable ability to heal itself. But in some cases, wounds heal very slowly or not at all, putting a person at risk for chronic pain, infection and scarring. Now, researchers have developed a self-powered bandage that generates an electric field over an injury, dramatically reducing the healing time for skin wounds in rats. They report their results in ACS Nano … read more

A pair of washable and reuseable socks with a special sensor could be key to continuously monitoring foot temperature in patients with diabetic neuropathy, according to a study in JMIR sponsored by Siren, maker of the socks. Researchers found that the socks were able to report temperature within 0.2 degrees Celcius of the reference standard, and that patients found the technology useable.

 

“The temperature studies conducted show that the sensors used in the socks are reliable and accurate at detecting temperature and the findings matched clinical observations,” the researchers of the study wrote. “Continuous temperature monitoring is a promising approach as an early warning system for foot ulcers, Charcot foot, and reulceration.” … read more

Healogics Research ServicesSM provides comprehensive market and clinical analytics that enable access to the largest database of wounded patients in the world. Healogics Research Services team analyzes comprehensive patient-level data to guide population identification, aid in study protocol development and identify patients for potential enrollment in late phase studies. JACKSONVILLE, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Healogics®, the nation’s largest provider of advanced chronic wound care services, today announced the debut of their newest service: Healogics Research ServicesSM. With robust clinical data on treatments and outcomes of over 1.8 million patients with 5.2 million wounds, Healogics has the largest repository of wound care-specific clinical encounter data in the industry. This data enables Healogics Research Services to generate real world insights that drive patient outcomes, product effectiveness and appropriate utilization.

 

“With our nationwide network of nearly 700 Wound Care Centers®, we care for more than 330,000 patients living with non-healing wounds each year,” said David Bassin, Chief Executive Officer at Healogics. “These numbers translate into meaningful data that enables us to better reach and improve healing for more people living with chronic wounds. We are excited about the unlimited opportunities and insights this new service offers us, our partners and, most importantly, our industry.” … read more

Agreement with Highmark to Improve Patient Engagement, Raise Adherence and Lower Costs

 

SAN ANTONIO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–KCI, an Acelity Company, a global leader in advanced wound management, and Highmark Inc., a national diversified health care insurance provider, today announced they have entered into a performance-based agreement for the KCI iOn PROGRESS™ Remote Therapy Monitoring Program which aims to improve overall patient experience, while lowering costs through increased engagement and adherence. Used in conjunction with the ACTIV.A.C.™ Therapy System, iOn PROGRESS™ Remote Therapy Monitoring Program consists of 3 key components:

 

• Monitoring: A proprietary remote monitoring module attached to the ACTIV.A.C.™ Therapy device enables secure transmission of therapy data to KCI.
• Engagement: A highly trained team of KCI Virtual Therapy Specialists (VTS) analyze the data and interact directly with patients and healthcare professionals to support adherence.
• Adherence: 73% of patients demonstrated an increase in hours of NPWT use per day following an adherence call from a Virtual Therapy Specialist. A lower average 90-day wound-related cost was associated with those receiving remote therapy monitoring.¹

The agreement is the first-of-its-kind for negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) and creates a performance-based payment structure for reducing total wound care costs. The partnership is a result of a diligent evaluation process by Highmark to understand how the iOn PROGRESS™ Remote Therapy Monitoring Program impacts its members in alignment with their commitment to improve quality while lowering total cost of care …. read more

Medical products and technologies company ConvaTec has welcomed the government’s support for the wound care industry as part of the Life Sciences Sector Deal, and has outlined its own objectives to supporting the government’s actions.

 

The company has been working with the Association of British HealthTech Industries, healthcare providers and UK academia to identify ways of improving patient outcomes and maximise financial efficiency in the wound care industry. This will include the use of new digital clinical decision support tools to try and support health professionals and patients.

 

Simon Whitfield, vice president & UK general manager of ConvaTec said: “We are proud to be contributing to the Wound Care Sector Deal, which brings key stakeholders across the NHS, government and industry together to reduce variation in wound assessments and deliver better outcomes for patients and healthcare professionals … read more

     an Innovative Treatment for Diabetic Foot Wound Healing

 

URGO Group, through its Urgo Medical division, received the Prix Galien France 2018 in the medical device category for UrgoStart®, the first dressing to have demonstrated clinical efficacy in the treatment of chronic wounds, especially in diabetic foot ulcers. This prestigious award recognizes URGO’s work and investment in R&D and its ongoing commitment to innovating for patients.

 

Urgo Medical: innovation as part of its DNA. URGO Group invests €25 million a year in R&D, in particular on medical technologies related to chronic wound healing.

 

“The prestigious Prix Galien rewards six years of collective hard work. Our R&D teams have spared no effort in developing the innovative UrgoStart® wound dressing,” said a beaming Hervé Le Lous, Chairman of URGO Group. “Our goal is to enable many more people to heal much faster, which will be a major benefit for patients, doctors and nurses, and society as a whole.”

 

UrgoStart®: a breakthrough in diabetic foot wound healing

 

With close to 425 million people affected worldwide, diabetes has become an epidemic that is growing steadily [1]. Nearly one out of every four patients with diabetes will suffer from a diabetic foot ulcer at least once in their lifetime[2].

 

Such wounds are also a major risk of infection which can lead to amputation and even death.

 

With one amputation carried out every 20 seconds, diabetes is the world’s leading cause of amputation[2]. In light of this finding, Urgo Medical launched the Explorer clinical study[3] in France, Spain, Italy, Germany and the UK, with the outcomes published in March 2018 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. The results demonstrated the efficacy of UrgoStart® which led to a 60% increase in wound closure compared with standard care and reduced wound closure time by 60 days from an average period of 180 days.

 

The first dressing to be deemed a local treatment, UrgoStart® is a French innovation recognized at the international level and now honoured by the Prix Galien.

 

URGO Group: https://www.urgo-group.com/

Prix Galien France: https://www.prixgalien.fr/

1. International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes atlas. 8th ed. 2017. Brussels: International, International Diabetes Federation https://www.idf.org/e-library/epidemiology-research/diabestes-atlas.html

2. Whiting, D. R., Guariguata, L., Weil, C., and Shax, J. 23011. “IDF Diabetes Atlas: Global Estimates of the Prevalence of Diabetes for 2011 and 2030.” Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 94 (3):311-21

3. Michael Edmonds, José Luis Lázaro-Martínez, Jesus Manuel Alfayate-García, Jacques Martini, Jean-Michel Petit, Gerry Rayman, Ralf Lobmann, Luigi Uccioli, Anne Sauvadet, Serge Bohbot, Jean-Charles Kerihuel, Alberto Piaggesi. Sucrose octasulfate dressing versus control dressing in patients with neuroischaemic diabetic foot ulcers (Explorer): an international, multicentre, double-blind, randomised, controlled trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2018;6 (3) :186-196

Press release from PR Newswire

     to Skin Temperature Monitoring in Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR)

 

— Paper details results of first at-home, continuous, wireless temperature monitoring system to detect onset of diabetic foot ulcers caused by neuropathy

— Temperatures measured by standalone sensors were within 0.2℃ of the reference standard

–Data demonstrates potential as promising approach for early warning of foot ulcers, Charcot foot, and re-ulceration

 

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Siren, the health technology company that developed Neurofabric™, a machine-washable, machine-dryable smart textile with built-in sensors, today announced publication of a foundational paper supporting its approach in Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR), the leading peer-reviewed journal for digital medicine, and health & healthcare in the Internet age. In the paper, a team of international researchers led by Ran Ma, co-founder and CEO, and Alexander M Reyzelman, DPM; Samuel Merritt University, detail the role of Siren’s Diabetic Sock and Foot Monitoring System in maintaining continuous, wireless skin temperature monitoring for users at-home, demonstrating the potential for the reduction of foot ulceration for diabetic patients.

 

“Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) result in considerable cost to the healthcare system when immediate ulcers, social services, home care, and subsequent ulcers are taken into consideration,” said Alexander M Reyzelman, DPM; Samuel Merritt University and lead author on the paper. “The cost per ulcer is over $33,000 per year and the cost per leg amputation is more than $100,000 per year. Over 100,000 legs are lost to diabetes each year. In diabetic foot complications such as foot ulcers, elevated temperatures in regions of the foot have been shown to be a precursor for ulceration.”

 

The JMIR publication details Siren’s pilot study of its Diabetic Sock and Foot Monitoring System to assess how comfortable their sensor-embedded socks were for daily use, and whether observed temperatures correlated with clinical observations.

 

In the study, patients wore the socks at home for a median of 7 hours, reporting that they felt just like their normal, everyday socks. Their stated willingness to wear the socks every day underscores the socks’ suitability for home use, suggesting that Neurofabric can seamlessly integrate into the life of the wearer.

 

“Several tools have been developed to measure plantar temperatures and the progression of foot ulcers, but they only measure temperature once a day which can lead to false-positives, or are only available for in-clinic use and not at home,” said Ran Ma, co-founder and CEO of Siren. “Now, for the first time, we highlight the striking connection between our Neurofabric’s powerful ability to capture data at home, every single second. The data is incredibly meaningful—it’s the largest amount of patient data that physicians have had wireless access to in real-time. This solidifies the potential for Neurofabric to change the trajectory of diabetic foot ulcerations and the many complications that can occur from it—including sepsis, and lower limb amputations.”

 

Patients also reported that Siren’s mobile app was easy to use and navigate. Through the mobile app, wearers can view the current temperature as measured at six points on the user’s foot. While the app was not set up to generate alerts in this study, users can receive a notification on their phone when a temperature increase is detected between contralateral positions.

 

“Digital health is a vast and burgeoning field and spans several aspects of health management—Neurofabric can facilitate the management of chronic conditions at home, including the effective and timely management of DFUs,” said Henk Jan Scholten, co-founder and COO of Siren. “The JMIR publication sheds light on both the ability of these Neurofabrics to improve quality of life for diabetes patients, and Siren’s first use-case to empowering people to take their health into their own hands.”

 

Siren is initiating a large-scale patient study in 2019.

 

Read the JMIR paper in full here: Continuous Temperature-Monitoring Socks for Home Use in Patients With Diabetes: Observational Study

 

About Siren

 

Founded in August 2016, Siren is a health technology company and the maker of Neurofabric™, machine-washable, machine-dryable smart textiles. Siren’s first product, Siren Diabetic Socks, are designed to help people with diabetes avoid amputations. Siren was previously named AARP Consumer’s Choice Award winner, 2017 CES TechCrunch Hardware Battlefield, 2018 CES Best of Innovation, Fast Co.’s 2018 Innovation by Design Award Honorable Mention, and 2018 ADA Healthtech Showcase winner. Siren’s investors include DCM, Khosla Ventures and Founders Fund.

press release from BusinessWire

SHOREVIEW, Minn., and TORONTO, On, Nov 30 2018. Maxwell Healthcare Associates (MHA), a post-acute operational, financial, technological and regulatory consulting firm, today announced Swift Skin and Wound as its exclusive digital wound care management solution of choice for MHA home health clients.

 

The partnership comes just a few weeks before the January 2019 rollout of new Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services rules surrounding pressure ulcer prevention and management.

 

“At Maxwell we believe technology is key to not only surviving but thriving amid constant regulatory changes and reimbursement cuts,” said MHA CEO Tom Maxwell. “We began searching for a wound care technology for our clients and found it in Swift. More than 1,000 facilities are already successfully leveraging Swift Skin and Wound for better clinical outcomes. It’s the only one with a home health-specific focus build that allows home health clinicians to document in and out of the home.”

 

Swift Skin and Wound significantly improves clinical and administrative wound care management workflows through: the Swift app, which captures wound care information as easily as taking a picture; the Swift HealX, an FDA-registered adhesive marker applied to calibrate wound images for size, color and lighting; and Swift Dashboards that display real-time healing and treatment to help clinicians and administrators identify risks immediately and improve care … read more

A record 169 people a week are having to undergo an amputation procedure as a result of diabetes, a study has found.

 

Analysis by the charity Diabetes UK found that 26,378 people had lower limb amputations linked to diabetes between 2014 and 2017, a 19.4% rise from 2010 to 2013. Unhealed ulcers and foot infections are the main cause of diabetes-related amputations. Diabetes affects almost 3.7 million people in the UK … read more

Demonstrated Substantial Clinical and Cost Benefits in Case Series Presented at Cleveland Clinic Accredited VEITH Symposium

 

SAN ANTONIO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Tissue Regenix Group (AIM:TRX) (“Tissue Regenix” or “The Group”), a regenerative medical devices company, recently shared findings from a case series that concluded DermaPure, a decellularized human dermis product, was more cost effective, prompted faster healing times and improved quality of life versus other available options.

 

Undertaken by David Naar, MD, founder of Premier Vein Clinic, LLC. in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic, the case series was shared at the 45th annual VEITH symposium and included six patients presenting with acute or chronic wounds, including necrotizing fasciitis and venous leg ulcers. Through the retrospective and prospective collection of data, the investigation showed a 65% mean surface area reduction in wound size at six weeks following an average of 1 DermaPure application per patient. One patient in the series, presented with a wound duration of over 10 years and had previously failed with multiple different graft options. Dr. Naar therefore concluded that DermaPure offers a significant health economic benefit to both patients and physicians in addition to its proven clinical advantage over current standard treatments … read more

     Tissue Products for the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers

 

In its recently released research compendium Diagnosis and Management of Diabetic Foot Complications, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) provides a comprehensive overview of the latest approaches for the manage- ment and treatment of DFUs and their complications. Produced by leading international DFU authorities, the compendium includes information about the use of adjunctive therapies, such as hyperbaric oxygen and negative pressure wound therapy, in instances in which DFUs do not respond to standard treatment.⁵ Among the treatments highlighted in the compendium that garnered the most attention were advanced cellular tissue products (CTPs). These are bioengineered cell-based therapies that supply the wound with the cells, tissues, proteins, and growth factors needed to support the healing process … read more (registration required)

and Sheffield Collaboratorium for Antimicrobial Resistance and Biofilms Awarded NBIC Grant to Advance Development of Neem’s First-in-Class Treatments for Wound Infections

 

Neem Biotech, a company focused on developing novel solutions to address antimicrobial resistance, together with the Welsh Wound Innovation Centre and Sheffield Collaboratorium for Antimicrobial Resistance and Biofilms (SCARAB) announced today the receipt of a £50,000 inaugural National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) Proof of Concept grant. This inaugural grant has been awarded to expand the development and testing of effective anti-biofilm interventions, in this case based on the pioneering research conducted by Neem Biotech. Biofilms are formed by many bacteria as a protective mechanisms for colonies of bacteria in a range of metabolic states. In humans, biofilms protect bacteria from the human immune system and antibiotics and also exude virulence factors which allow the colonies of bacteria to invade local tissues and spread infection. Products that inhibit the spread of infection in biofilms are called quorum sensing inhibitors.

 

Specifically, the collaborators will expand data on the biological activity of Neem’s candidate compounds for managing bacterial infections in wounds. The research is aimed at advancing rational drug design and accelerating translation of basic research into the clinic …. read more

Onduo, a Verily-Sanofi joint venture focused on digitally-driven diabetes management, is looking to further protect its members from foot ulcers and limb loss. Orpyx Medical Technologies’ diabetic foot ulcer sensors for its members.

 

Thanks to a newly announced deal struck between the companies, Orpyx Medical Technologies’ FDA-cleared SurroSense Rx system will be available to “select members” of Onduo’s diabetes management program in 2019. The system consists of a thin sensor that is placed in a patient’s shoes and a wirelessly connected smartwatch, which displays readings and alerts to the user when dangerous pressure levels are detected.

 

“Orpyx helps people with diabetes to prevent foot ulcers by providing insight that protects foot health and mobility and reduces the risk of complications that can lead to limb loss,” Breanne Everett, CEO of Orpyx Medical Technologies, said in a statement. “We are pleased to extend access to our foot sensor technology to the Onduo member community and to invite Orpyx US patients to take advantage of Onduo services.” … read more

     quality and cost implications

 

Adults with a new principal DPN diagnosis were categorized as initially untreated if they had no newly initiated DPNrelated medication within the fi rst 14 days after diagnosis. Bivariate logistic regression evaluated predictors for newly initiating medication versus being initially untreated. Multinomial logistic regression evaluated predictors for each medication category (antidepressants, anticonvulsants, or multiple medications versus opioids) … read more

Lower-limb amputations may be rising in the United States after decades of decline, according to data published in Diabetes Care, the official journal of the American Diabetes Association.

 

The study, which evaluated hospitalization rates for nontraumatic lower extremity amputation in the years 2000 to 2015 using data from the National Health Interview Survey, evaluated estimates for populations with and without diabetes.

 

Poorly controlled blood sugar that occurs in diabetes can limit blood flow to the lower legs and toes, causing nerve damage that people with the disease may not sense until problems have already developed. People with advanced diabetes may develop wounds or sores that do not heal and eventually result in loss of the damaged toe or portion of the foot or leg … read more

Using a growth factor produced naturally by the human body—and used in spinal-fusion surgeries—scientists from the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have coaxed “leftover” cells from the pancreas to morph into insulin-producing islet cells. In a study set for publication in the December issue of the journal Diabetes, the reprogrammed cells churned out about as much insulin as healthy human islet cells.

Using BMP-7, the research team induced islet-like clusters from the exocrine cells as shown by several markers, including insulin expression (green, top left) and C-peptide (red, top right). C-peptide is a by-product of insulin expression by the cells and is used to demonstrate the production of natural insulin as opposed to the possibility that cells are simply absorbing insulin from the culture medium. Additionally, the reprogrammed cells show the expression of PDX1, a key marker of beta cell function (red, bottom right).Transplanted into lab mice and rats, the new islets released their blood sugar-lowering hormone in response to increases in blood glucose levels—just like the real thing. “That’s the hallmark of functioning islet cells, the ability to sense and respond to blood glucose levels,” notes the study’s co-lead investigator Juan Dominguez-Bendala, Ph.D., director of stem cell development for translational research at the DRI … read more

Well September has passed but this is a wealth of information on DFUs from WoundSource:

 

As part of the WoundSource Practice Accelerator series, we present the following education on a variety of topics related to the assessment, management and prevention of diabetic foot ulcers.

A smart dressing that uses blue-light therapy for wound healing and which can also monitor and treat infections has been developed by an EU-funded consortium … Blue light is already known for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, but now the EU-funded MEDILIGHT consortium has harnessed it to aid the healing of chronic wounds such as those suffered by patients with diabetes … “The aim is to have a non-chemical solution for chronic wounds,” says project coordinator Dionysios Manessis of the System Integration and Interconnection Technologies Department, Technical University Berlin. “We found that blue light originally thought to be good for disinfection also produces good results for proliferation of keratinocytes and fibroblasts—the types of skin cells needed for wound closure.” … With EUR 3 million of EU funding for just over three years, the research team was able to produce a smart wearable device from scratch. The prototype consists of a soft, flexible foil with blue LEDs (light emitting diodes) and sensors. This is inserted into a transparent pocket over the wound dressing … read more

HMP, a leader in healthcare events and education, today announced the launch of the Post-Acute Care Symposium (PACS). The meeting will take place May 9–10, 2019, and will be co-located with the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC) Spring/Wound Healing Society meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

 

PACS is uniquely designed to provide nurses with the important tools they need through a curriculum that focuses on practical, evidence-based strategies for implementing clinical practice guidelines, protocols, and care pathways for wound and incontinence interventions. The PACS Steering Committee is comprised of many of the same experts who guide the programming for the established SAWC Spring and Fall meetings.

 

“With the post-acute care setting now central to our healthcare delivery system, the time has come to provide a practical conference for nursing professionals that focuses on the day-to-day realities of patients with wound and incontinence issues,” said Catherine T. Milne, MSN, APRN, CWOCN-AP, Advanced Practice Nurse and Co-Chair for the meeting.

 

The two-day event, expected to draw approximately 250 nursing professionals, will provide a unique experience for attendees. The meeting will include a curriculum based on the nursing process method, interactive panel and case-based discussion, and “Rapid-Fire” and “Ask the Experts” sessions led by a diverse faculty that includes post-acute care educators with broad experience and practical insight. Attendees will have the opportunity to earn up to 10 CNE credits.

 

By co-locating the meeting with SAWC Spring, PACS attendees will also gain access to the world’s largest wound care exhibit hall and networking receptions as part of their registration.

 

“HMP saw an unmet need in the marketplace,” said Peter Norris, Executive Vice President, HMP. “The idea for PACS came in light of statistics showing the majority of wounds in the U.S. are being treated within the post-acute care setting by skilled nursing facility (SNF), home health (HH), and hospice providers. The educational agenda aims to provide post-acute care nursing professionals with real-world tools and strategies fit for the setting in which they care for patients on a daily basis.”

To learn more about the meeting, visit pacsymposium.com.

 

About HMP
HMP is the force behind Healthcare Made Practical—and is a multichannel leader in healthcare events and education, with a mission to improve patient care. The company produces accredited medical education events and clinically relevant, evidence-based content for the global healthcare community across a range of therapeutic areas. Its brands include Consultant360, the year-round, award-winning platform relied upon by healthcare providers across 21 specialties; Psych Congress, the largest independent mental health meeting in the U.S.; EMS World Expo, the world’s largest EMS-dedicated event; and the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC), the largest wound care meeting in the world. For more information, visit hmpglobal.com.

originally posted in PR WEB

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – More than 5.7 million Americans suffer from chronic wounds that won’t heal. Now, a new, easy to use treatment some are calling a “magic powder” is helping patients heal much faster.

Plastic surgeon Tracey Stokes, MD, FACS, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon is used to being in the operating room, but not as a patient.

“I underwent bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction,” said Dr. Stokes.

Dr. Stokes made the decision after she and her mother tested positive for the gene that causes breast cancer. Unfortunately, she developed a wound on her left breast that would not heal.

“I think in today’s day and age wound care and wound care problems have almost become an epidemic,” said Laura Sudarsky, MD, FACS, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon & Wound Care Specialist at Esse Plastic Surgery … read more

By Portia Wofford

 

Have you ever been the first to achieve a great feat? Do you remember all the naysayers and those “encouraging” you to pursue other avenues? The self-doubt, that nagging lump at the bottom of your throat, the second-guessing you plagued yourself with? Despite it all, you kept swimming and here you are, a badass!

 

I thought of these things when I met Cheryl Carver or as her friends and colleagues call her- ‘WOuNder WOMAN!’ Cheryl is a nationally renowned wound care specialist and expert, published writer, educator, and LPN!

 

Life Doesn’t Always Go As Planned

 

Cheryl’s nursing career began when she served in the Army, while stationed in Germany. She received a life-changing phone call that her mother had a stroke. She rushed home to be her mother’s caregiver. After a year, her mother died in Cheryl’s arms due to complications of diabetes and pressure ulcers/osteomyelitis/sepsis … read more

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines social determinants of health as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, that shape health. These factors include characteristics such as socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood and physical environment, employment and social support networks. Surprisingly, these social and environmental conditions account for 80 percent of health outcomes while only 20 percent are the result of care delivery.

 

“Over the next year, we will release a series of findings based on surveys of clinicians, interviews with patients and secondary data analysis,” said Hanna Gordon, PhD, Healogics Executive Director, Research and Informatics. “Our goal is to ensure that all patients can access high quality care and heal their chronic ulcers. We will begin our series with an introduction to the social determinants and how they impact health outcomes, followed by the findings of a survey on clinician perspectives on social barriers to care, and original research on the sociogeographic patterning of chronic wounds.”

 

Chronic wound patients face a number of challenges to their health and well-being. The presence of ulcers is an indication of broader physical systems failures. However, with education, many wounds could be prevented or treated when they are less severe resulting in improved outcomes. The association between chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and social conditions is well established, yet none of the previous studies have addressed chronic ulcers. Healogics Wound Science Initiative is partnering with hospitals … read more

Chronic skin wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers, pressure wounds and other chronic skin wounds affect more than 6 million people in the U.S. alone, with the cost of treatments mounting to $25 billion each year. The current standard of care requires removing a small piece of the wound tissue for laboratory analysis under a microscope, but disturbing tissue around the wound can be disruptive to the healing process.

 

Recognizing a lack of non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers to monitor such wounds, University of Arkansas Optical redox ratio of the wound edge changes over time. In vivo redox ratio maps of FAD/(NADH+FAD) were generated from the normalized fluorescence intensities. Source: University of Arkansasresearchers have identified a biomarker to track changes in cellular metabolism as wounds transition through the healing process. The group applied multiphoton microscopy to acquire a 3D image of wound structure and its metabolism … read more

     to delivering patient-focused foot care services: A qualitative descriptive study.

 

A qualitative descriptive study design was used (Sandelowski, 2000). Participants were health-care professionals providing foot care, foot wear, and wound care services in a Canadian province. Professionals voluntarily completed 48 open-ended surveys. Survey data was thematically analyzed to identify meaning and leading themes (nVivo10). The lead researcher kept field notes to support auditability and trustworthiness. Ethical approval was from the Research Ethics Board at St. Lawrence College, Cornwall, Ontario. Informed participant consent was obtained. Workshop attendees did not have to participate, and they did not have to return the survey if they did not choose to do so … read more

    at Innovations in Wound Healing Conference

 

SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — PolarityTE, Inc. (Nasdaq: PTE), a commercial stage biotechnology company focused on transforming the lives of patients by discovering, designing and developing a range of regenerative tissue products and biomaterials for the fields of medicine, biomedical engineering and material sciences, announced today that it will present SkinTE™ clinical outcomes at the Innovations in Wound Healing Conference held in Key West, FL December 6-9, 2018.

 

During a presentation entitled, Regeneration of Functional Skin, Stephen Milner, MD, DDS, DSc, FRCSE, FACS and Chief Clinical Officer of PolarityTE, who practiced medicine for more than 20 years and served as former Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and former Director of Johns Hopkins Burn Center, will discuss SkinTE clinical outcomes data. Dr. Milner will highlight utilization of the autologous SkinTE cell-tissue product in chronic, burn and acute traumatic wounds. The presentation is scheduled during Scientific Session 8 on Sunday, December 9, 2018.

 

This unique conference is led by a group of experienced educators, scientists and clinicians interested in communicating new approaches to the repair of tissues throughout the human body. The program will focus on the science of tissue repair, the implementation of new findings and the exchange of the latest advances and thinking in the field. Participants, who include clinicians, developers, students and scientists from government, academia and industry, all share an interest in innovative ideas and novel therapies of tissue regeneration and the treatment of chronic wounds. Attendees come from the country’s foremost academic institutions and high-volume medical centers and include notable individuals from the wound care field like leaders from the nation’s largest provider of advanced wound healing services … read more

     of Chronic Lower Extremity Wounds: A Case Series

 

This case series evaluates the outcomes of persons with chronic lower extremity wounds treated with an esterified hyaluronic acid matrix (EHAM). Materials and Methods.Data were abstracted from 12 consecutive patients with a total of 14 evaluated chronic wounds (12 [100%] men, mean age 58.72 years) presenting for care at a multidisciplinary wound care center. Nine of the 12 patients had diabetes. The mean wound duration was 39.2 weeks. All patients received surgical wound debridement and were started on therapy consisting of weekly to biweekly applications of the EHAM with a nonadherent, moisture-retentive dressing until complete epithelialization was achieved. Outcomes evaluated included time to complete wound closure and proportion of patients achieving wound closure in 20 weeks. Results. In total, 85.7% of wounds measuring a mean of 2.32 cm²healed in the 20-week evaluation period … read more

They’re less frequent than diabetic ulcers, but how concerned should we be about arterial ulcers (ischemic ulcers)?… Atherosclerosis is the major cause of peripheral arterial disease. This reduces the arterial blood flow to the lower extremities. The lumen of the arteries become occluded and the extremity becomes ischemic. Most ulcers develop due to a traumatic event to the ischemic leg or foot. However, skin breakdown can occur spontaneously … Risk factors for arterial ulcers include hyperlipidemia, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, advanced age and post trauma to the foot or leg … Arterial ulcers are usually located on the top of the toes, over the phalangeal heads … read more

Editors Note: This article starts by claiming that “15% of 425 million people in the U.S. living with diabetes develop foot ulcers”. So ….

 

15% of the 425 million people in the U.S. living with diabetes develop foot ulcers. This is called diabetic foot ulcers, and it is said to increase the risk of death on a person by up to 2.5 times. Treating the ulcer with current means takes around 120 days … Now, with a nitric oxide-releasing technology, a team of biometric engineers say they can reduce the healing time of this diabetic foot ulcer by 99 days – that is from 120 to only 21 days … In the quest to lower these expenses, experts from Michigan Technological University have created what they call a nitric oxide-laden bandage that monitors, adjusts and releases the chemical, based on the need or depending on the state of the cells … To arrive at that, they first investigated what goes inside the skin cells when nitric oxide was introduced. In this case, the focus was on dermal fibroblast cells, which they analyzed on both normal and diabetic human cells … read more

     to diagnose, monitor chronic wounds

 

A team of NIH-funded researchers at the University of Arkansas have demonstrated the novel use of multiphoton microscopy to monitor wound healing in live animals. The scientists measured metabolic changes that occur during healing at the wounds’ surface using autofluorescence imaging. In the future, doctors could use the images to non-invasively diagnose the type of chronic wound and determine the best treatment strategy.

 

Chronic skin wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers and pressure wounds affect more than 6 million people in the United States, with the cost of treatments mounting to $25 billion each year … read more

In this new video series, TWC editorial advisory board member Kathleen D. Schaum, MS, shares eight poignant reimbursement tips for today’s outpatient wound care clinics.

Tip No. 1: Research
Tip No. 2: Learn Payment Systems
Tip No. 3: Itemizing 
Tip No. 4: Identify Pertinent Codes
Tip No. 5: Establish Appropriate Charges
Tip No. 6: NCDs, LCDs, Payer Contracts & Medical Policies
Tip No. 7: Insurance Benefits & Coverage Verification 
Tip No. 8: Auditing Claims

A new, low-cost wound dressing developed by University of Wisconsin-Madison engineers could dramatically speed up healing in a surprising way … The method leverages energy generated from a patient’s own body motions to apply gentle electrical pulses at the site of an injury … In rodent tests, the dressings reduced healing times to a mere three days compared to nearly two weeks for the normal healing process …”We were surprised to see such a fast recovery rate,” says Xudong Wang, a professor of materials science and engineering at UW-Madison … “We suspected that the devices would produce some effect, but the magnitude was much more than we expected” … Wang and collaborators described their wound dressing method today (Nov … 29, 2018) in the journal ACS Nano … read more

     Highlighting Latest Treatments for Diabetic Foot Ulcers

 

CANTON, Mass., Nov. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Organogenesis Inc., a leading regenerative medicine company committed to empowering healing, is proud to support the American Diabetes Association (ADA)’s publication of a new scientific compendium reviewing the latest methods for diagnosing and treating diabetic foot complications.

 

“We are proud to support the production of the compendium, which will be an invaluable resource for both clinicians and patients,” said Shabnam Vaezzadeh, Vice President of Global Medical & Clinical Affairs for Organogenesis. “Diabetic foot ulcers represent a significant and ongoing public health challenge and we applaud the ADA for this rigorous, independent and timely review of evidence-based interventions.”

 

The ADA compendium, Diagnosis and Management of Diabetic Foot Complications, is a comprehensive review of the latest scientific evidence related to the treatment of DFUs, including best practices for early screening and diagnosis, prevention strategies, and wound care and treatment options. The content for the compendium was developed by a respected team of independent researchers and clinicians and is solely the responsibility of the ADA and ADA leadership.

DFUs are the leading cause of diabetes-related amputations in the United States. Nearly 100,000 non-traumatic amputations are performed each year, a number which includes 1 in 6 patients with a DFU, according to the ADA. Proper foot care and access to advanced wound care treatment options are critical to prevent amputation or premature death due to diabetic foot ulcers.

 

from Cision PR Newswire

     a national observational study

 

Diabetic foot ulcers and amputations are devastating and much feared complications of diabetes. Between 15% and 34% of people with diabetes develop a foot ulcer during their lifetime, with more than half acquiring infections that may result in lower extremity amputations causing disability, extensive periods of hospitalisation, and premature mortality. The incidence of major amputation ranges from 0·2 to 2·0 per 1000 people in those with diabetes [4, 5]. Major or minor amputation also increases the risk of additional subsequent amputations [6]. Foot ulcers are the costliest microvascular complication of diabetes …Amputations in people with diabetes have a significant impact on ambulation, body care, movement and mobility, resulting in an inability to perform daily tasks and often a loss of employment [6] impacting on the wider family. Clinical epidemiology studies suggest that foot ulcers precede around 85% of non-traumatic lower extremity amputations in individuals with diabetes and hence ulcer prevention is important. Previous studies have reported that apart from severity of ulcer … read more

Diabetic ulcers commonly result from high blood sugar damaging nerves, which takes away feeling from the toes or feet … Without the ability to feel pain, hits and bumps tend to go unnoticed and skin tissue breaks down, forming ulcers … A lot of sugar in the bloodstream, along with dried skin as a consequence of diabetes, further slow the ulcer healing process … Recently, Purdue researchers developed a shoe insole that could help make the healing process more portable for the 15% of Americans who develop ulcers as a result of diabetes … The researchers used lasers to shape silicone-based rubber into insoles, and then create reservoirs that release oxygen only at the part of the foot where the ulcer is located … read more