Month: April 2021
Music in the Wound Care Center: Effects on Anxiety Levels and Blood Pressure Measurements in Patients Receiving Standard Care
In the United States, chronic wounds (including venous ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and pressure ulcers/injuries) affect approximately 8.2 million people as estimated by a 2018 retrospective analysis of Medicare beneficiaries, and treatment costs ranged from $28 billion to $96.8 billion annually.1 These numbers are expected to increase with the growing aging population and higher prevalence rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and peripheral artery disease, in older adults.1 Patients with chronic wounds are reported as having poor quality of life associated with chronic pain and odorous exudate.2 The treatment of chronic wounds in the wound care center (WCC) requires wound assessment, minor procedures, and dressing changes. WCCs provide a specialized level of care using various wound care therapies to promote healing.3 Anxiety has been reported during treatment and may lead to increased pain sensation and stress.4 Pharmacological treatment has been a traditional way to alleviate anxiety; however, this can increase the risk of drug dependency and unwanted side effects.5 Nonpharmacological approaches are considered to be more desirable because of fewer side effects and greater cost-efficiency … continue
What Is a Kennedy Terminal Ulcer?
Many questions arise and confusion develops when wound care providers mention Kennedy terminal ulcers (KTUs). Because these wounds are not frequently seen, and because they develop rapidly and observation ends abruptly with the death of the patient, wound care providers may have never observed a KTU, even in a long career in wound care. Although the literature reveals that there is a lack of knowledge regarding the exact cause of a KTU, let’s look at the facts currently known from published resources … continue
May Hope Bloom and Grow
Depending on which part of the world you live in, after a dark winter, May signals the emergence of warmer weather, the birth of wildlife, and the blooming of flowers. In the Southern Hemisphere, the month of May signals the end of warm weather with the promise of cooler temperatures to provide relief. For still others, it marks the beginning of increasingly hot weather. As with so much, our judgments about May change based on our perspective. Our journal is an international journal—and in this issue (print and online) you will find articles from six different countries (Australia, Egypt, India, Korea, Spain, and the US) that address different aspects of skin care and wound healing. The diversity of these international viewpoints can enrich our toolkit for effective practice … continue
Nuo Therapeutics Announces Publication of Final Decision Memo for Autologous Blood Derived Products for Chronic Non-Healing Wounds by Centers for Medicare
HOUSTON, April 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Nuo Therapeutics, Inc. (OTC Pink: AURX) (“Nuo” or the “Company”), today announced the recent publication of the final decision memo for Autologous Blood-Derived Products for Chronic Non-Healing Wounds (CAG-00190R4). On April 13, 2021, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) concluded in its final coverage decision memo (available at the URL at the bottom of this release) that Medicare will cover autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for treatment of chronic non-healing diabetic wounds (DFUs) under section 1862(a)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act. This final decision follows the favorable proposed decision memo which was published December 21, 2020 and followed by a thirty-day public comment period. In its final decision memo, CMS concluded that the coverage for DFUs would be for a duration of 20 weeks and limited to devices whose FDA cleared indications include the management of exuding cutaneous wounds such as DFUs. Coverage of autologous PRP beyond 20 weeks for DFUs and for the treatment of all chronic, non-healing wounds will be determined by local Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) … continue
Reducing Disparities in Diabetic Amputations
Foluso A. Fakorede, MD, a cardiologist in Bolivar County, MS, has used prevention, screening, and treatment strategies to reduce amputations by 88% in the Mississippi Delta area where he practices. Here, Dr. Fakorede discusses risk factors for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and amputation in patients with diabetes, and how to reduce disparities in diabetic amputations.…
Outpatient Diabetic Foot Ulcer Diagnosis With Positive Wound Culture Linked to Subsequent Hospital Admission
Outpatient diagnosis of a diabetic foot ulcer with a positive wound culture is associated with subsequent hospital admission for systemic infection, according to research results published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases … Researchers conducted an exploratory, retrospective study in order to evaluate the relationship between outpatient diagnosis of an index diabetic foot ulcer and any subsequent admissions for invasive bacterial infection including osteomyelitis, bacteremia, or endocarditis … read more
Q&A: CPT CODING FOR EXCISIONAL WOUND DEBRIDEMENT WITH VAC
Gloria Miller, CPC, CPMA, CPPM, former vice president of reimbursement services at Comprehensive Healthcare Solutions Inc. shares which CPT codes to use.
A version of this article was first published April 23, 2021, by HCPro’s Revenue Cycle Advisor, a sibling publication to HealthLeaders.
Q: What CPT codes and modifiers would be used to report excisional debridement for removal of a 2×4-cm ulcer on a patient’s right buttocks with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC)?
A: The debridement would be reported using CPT code 11042 (debridement, subcutaneous tissue [includes epidermis and dermis, if performed]; first 20 sq cm or less). This procedure involves the sharp removal of nonviable subcutaneous tissue until viable tissue is encountered … read more
Wound healing, infection can be determined by genetics
Texas [US], April 25 (ANI): Researchers from Texas Tech’s Department of Biological Sciences and Natural Science Research Laboratory recently determined that some genes have an association with the pathogens that infect chronic wounds and hinder the healing process … In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers have determined that genetics may play a role in how wounds heal. Caleb Phillips, an assistant professor at Texas Tech University and director of the Phillips Laboratory in the Department of Biological Sciences, and doctoral student Craig Tipton led the study, “Patient genetics is linked to chronic wound microbiome composition and healing,” according to a study published in the open-access, peer-reviewed medical journal PLOS Pathogens.
Phillips, who also serves as Curator of Genetic Resources at the Natural Science Research Laboratory’s (NSRL) Robert J Baker Genetic Resources Collection, said the study determined that certain genes are associated with the number of bacteria and abundance of common pathogens in wounds … read more
Differentiation of Diabetic Foot Ulcers Based on Stimulation of Myogenic Oscillations by Transient Ischemia
Purpose: Diabetic foot ulceration is a chronic complication characterized by impaired wound healing. There is a great demand for a diagnostic tool that is able to monitor and predict wound healing.
Patients and Methods: Oscillations in the microcirculation, known as flowmotion, can be monitored very distinctly and precisely using the Flow Mediated Skin Fluorescence (FMSF) technique. The flowmotion response to hypoxia was measured quantitatively in 42 patients with diabetic foot ulcers.
Results: The flowmotion response to hypoxia parameters FM(R) and HS were used to differentiate the diabetic foot ulcers and correlate them with clinical status. In some cases, FMSF measurements were continued over the period of a year in order to monitor disease progress. The clinical status of the quarter of patients with the highest HS values (group A, HS = 50.2± 18.3) was compared to the quarter with the lowest HS values (group B, HS = 4.3± 1.7). The patients in the group B were identified as having low prognosis for healing and were characterized by higher incidences of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, prevalent CVD, neuropathy and nephropathy.
Conclusion: Impaired flowmotion responses to hypoxia induced by transient ischemia can be used for differentiation of diabetic foot ulcers and identification of cases with low prognosis for healing.
SANUWAVE® Rebrands to Reflect Evolved Wound Care Solutions
“Energy First” Protocol Improves Clinical Outcomes
SUWANEE, Ga.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SANUWAVE Health, Inc. (OTCQB: SNWV), focused on the development and commercialization of a robust and innovative advanced wound care product portfolio for the repair and regeneration of skin and vascular structures, today announced its rebranding. The new brand reflects the evolution of SANUWAVE’s solutions addressing the entire wound care pathway through its portfolio of noninvasive and biological response therapeutics that help expedite the wound healing process at the cellular level, resulting in less time and resources spent on more costly treatments …. full press release
Review: Prevalence of Pressure Ulcers in Long-Term Care: A Global Review
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iWounds News
Results of two-year study show Zilver Vena Venous Stent is safe and effective The results of a two-year study support the continued safety and effectiveness of the Zilver Vena Venous Stent (Cook Medical) in treating symptomatic iliofemoral venous outflow obstruction, according to findings presented at the 2021 meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR;…
