Month: August 2021

Tele Wound Care Navigation for Wound Care Providers

The digital age is upon us, like it or not, ready or not. For the past few years, payers have incentivized, encouraged, reimbursed, and adopted various digital, remote monitoring systems and devices as a way to encourage providers to adopt more digital, remote methods. Although complete telehealth services were not reimbursed in all care settings in all Zip Codes by all payers throughout the United States at the beginning of 2020, many of the restrictions and barriers to provide nearly complete digital services were suddenly released in response to the needs of a nation in the throes of a pandemic … read more

Improved wound management at lower cost: a sensible goal for Australia

Chronic wounds cost the Australian health system at least US$2·85 billion per year. Wound care services in Australia involve a complex mix of treatment options, health care sectors and funding mechanisms. It is clear that implementation of evidence‐based wound care coincides with large health improvements and cost savings, yet the majority of Australians with chronic wounds do not receive evidence‐based treatment. High initial treatment costs, inadequate reimbursement, poor financial incentives to invest in optimal care and limitations in clinical skills are major barriers to the adoption of evidence‐based wound care. Enhanced education and appropriate financial incentives in primary care will improve uptake of evidence‐based practice. Secondary‐level wound specialty clinics to fill referral gaps in the community, boosted by appropriate credentialing, will improve access to specialist care. In order to secure funding for better services in a competitive environment, evidence of cost‐effectiveness is required. Future effort to generate evidence on the cost‐effectiveness of wound management interventions should provide evidence that decision makers find easy to interpret. If this happens, and it will require a large effort of health services … read more

Next Science to Exhibit Surgical Product Portfolio at AAOS 2021

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Next Science Limited (ASX:NXS), an innovative medical technology company, announced that it will exhibit at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) annual meeting and conference in San Diego, California, from Aug. 31 – Sept. 3. Next Science, whose mission is to heal patients and save lives by addressing the impact of biofilms on human health, will exhibit at Booth No. 5035.

Next Science will showcase its portfolio of ground-breaking products, including:

  • XPERIENCE™ No Rinse Antimicrobial Solution, a non-toxic surgical solution that is designed to help prevent surgical site infections (SSIs) by rinsing away debris and microorganisms; and
  • SURGX®, a topical gel that is applied to a closed surgical incision to help prevent superficial SSIs.

Next Science also will host a presentation that addresses the impact of biofilms on SSIs, discusses risk mitigation strategies and shares clinical results from high-risk patients. The session, Biofilm and Surgical Site Infections, takes place on Sept. 1 from 12:40 – 1:25 p.m. in Meeting Room 1 and will be led by four prominent orthopaedic surgeons:

  • Dr. Robert Harris, Hughston Clinic
  • Dr. Jon E. Minter, Northside Hospital
  • Dr. Randall Otto, SSM Health
  • Dr. Ravi K. Bashyal, NorthShore University Hospital

read more

What Measurement Of Wound Healing Is Most Valuable?

Great, provocative work recently in the International Wound Journal by our colleagues Professor Keith Harding and coworkers.1 In their study, they note that healing in total can be a challenging metric to measure, as every wound is very different. In the research world, this translates into difficulty in matching study cohorts, especially when there are not very large subject pools available. Also, they note that the lengthy time necessary to heal many wounds requires that the associated study also takes substantial time. This makes high-quality RCTs with statistically significant and applicable data few and far between.

Taking a slightly different viewpoint on evaluating outcomes in wound healing … read more

Sustained oxygenation accelerates diabetic wound healing by promoting epithelialization and angiogenesis and decreasing inflammation

Nonhealing diabetic wounds are common complications for diabetic patients. Because chronic hypoxia prominently delays wound healing, sustained oxygenation to alleviate hypoxia is hypothesized to promote diabetic wound healing. However, sustained oxygenation cannot be achieved by current clinical approaches, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Here, we present a sustained oxygenation system consisting of oxygen-release microspheres and a reactive oxygen species (ROS)–scavenging hydrogel. The hydrogel captures the naturally elevated ROS in diabetic wounds, which may be further elevated by the oxygen released from the administered microspheres. The sustained release of oxygen augmented the survival and migration of keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts, promoted angiogenic growth factor expression and angiogenesis in diabetic wounds, and decreased the proinflammatory cytokine expression … read more

Novel Cellulose Fibre-Based Flexible Plasmonic Membrane for Point-of-Care SERS Biomarker Detection in Chronic Wound Healing

Wound management is stretching the limits of health systems globally, challenging clinicians to evaluate the effectiveness of their treatments and deliver appropriate care to their patients. Visual inspection and manual measurement of wound size are subjective, often inaccurate and inconsistent. Growth factors, such as pro-inflammatory cytokines and proteases, play important roles in cutaneous wound healing. However, little is known about the point-of-care monitoring of the changes in such markers during the healing process. Here, we explore the capability of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a viable point-of-care platform to monitor the changes of these surrogate indicators of healing status in chronic wounds …. read more

Smart plaster could accelerate the healing of chronic wounds

Circulatory disorders, diabetes or lying in the same position for extended periods can all lead to chronic wounds that do not heal. There are hardly any effective treatment options. A materials science research team from Kiel University (CAU), together with colleagues from the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Harvard Medical School, U.S., and Dankook University in South Korea, has developed a wound patch with enhanced healing functions which can be individually adapted for each patient. The 3D-printed patch has antibacterial properties, supplies the wound with oxygen and moisture, and supports the formation of new tissue … read more

PODIATRY MANAGEMENT FEATURES KERECIS FISH SKIN

Dr. Christopher Winters has written a “Profile in Excellence” article featuring Kerecis fish-skin technology in this month’s issue of Podiatry Management magazine.

 

In the two-page article, “Fish-Skin Grafts Heal Complex Wounds”, Dr. Winters interviews two podiatrists who have used different formulations of the technology — Ian Barron, DPM, of the Clintonville Foot & Ankle Group of Columbus, Ohio, and Brittany Wojnicki, DPM, of Horizon Health in Paris, Illinois. Each presents a case in which they have healed complex diabetic wounds using Kerecis fish skin.

 

Dr. Barron discusses his treatment of a 70-year-old woman, who presented a serious necrotizing infection that had required a fourth and fifth ray amputation. She had lost a lot of soft tissue, and the deep wound had extensive tunneling. She was at risk of a bellow-the-knee amputation, which Dr. Barron feared would shorten her life. In the article, Dr. Barron shares how he used a combination of Kerecis Omega3 MicroGraft and Kerecis Omega3 OR to heal the patient´s wound.

 

Dr. Wojnicki describes a case in which a 71-year-old diabetic, who had already lost one leg above the knee to amputation, developed gangrene in his remaining foot. In the article, Dr. Wojnicki details how, after trying standard of care methods without success, she healed the patient´s deep and complex foot ulcer with Kerecis Omega3 Wound. “I can´t believe how quickly the wound healed,” she says. “Other grafts take a while to incorporate. With the fish skin, I do a treatment, and a week later it is gone. The new skin is healthy and tough. I´ve never had an application show such a dramatic difference.”

 

Click here to read the full article

Durable Healing Outcomes of Topical Wound Oxygen (TWO2) Therapy Highlighted at Leading International Clinical Conferences

OCEANSIDE, Calif., Aug. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Advanced Oxygen Therapy Inc. (AOTI) announced today that its unique multimodality Topical Wound Oxygen (TWO2) therapy was recently highlighted at multiple leading international clinical conferences across the United States and United Kingdom. AOTI participated both as a sponsor and exhibitor at these events that were conducted in a hybrid format, where attendance could be either in person, or virtually, to allow for the greatest clinician engagement, something that has now become standard during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Clinical Societies
Clinical Societies
The prestigious Malvern Diabetic Foot Conference, the world’s longest standing international multidisciplinary diabetic foot meeting, was held in Malvern, UK, from July 7 – 9, where during the New Treatments for Diabetic Foot Lesions session, the growing portfolio of high quality clinical evidence supporting the effectiveness of cyclical-pressure TWO2 therapy in healing DFU, was expertly summarized by Professor Robert Frykberg, DPM, MPH., who also presented the results from the recently published paper entitled: Topical oxygen therapy for diabetes-related foot ulcers: A systematic review and meta-analysis, by Professor Golledge et al., which further highlighted the strength of the TWO2 RCT.

 

The Annual Scientific Meeting (The National) of the American Podiatric Medical Association was held in Denver, USA from July 29 – August 1, where a breakthrough abstract by Matthew G. Garoufalis, DPM and Aliza M. Lee, DPM, MS, entitled: The Power of TWO2: Real World Evidence of the Long-Term Healing and Health Benefits of Cyclical Pressurized Topical Wound Oxygen Therapy in Diabetic Foot Ulcerations was presented, further demonstrating significant reductions in Hospitalization and Amputations over 12-months for DFU patients treated with TWO2, compared to those who were not.

 

The 2021 Vascular Annual Meeting of the Society for Vascular Surgery was held in San Diego, USA from August 18 – 21, where during a Vascular Live Presentation, entitled: TWO2 Therapy for Healing DFU and VLU: Reducing Hospitalizations and Amputations, the eminent vascular surgeon, Anil Hingorani, MD, summarized the cyclical oxygen pressure noncontact compression mechanism of action of TWO2, reviewed real word cases and even provided a video testimonial from a patient who had suffered with nonhealing Venous Leg Ulcers (VLU) for years, until finally healing with the addition of TWO2 therapy.

 

Dr. Mike Griffiths, CEO and Medical Director of AOTI, commented; “AOTI is proud to continue to support the world’s leading clinical societies and wound care physicians in their quest for more durable healing of Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Venous Leg Ulcers by utilizing our unique multimodality approach. Our evidence-based TWO2 therapy is applied by the patient safely at home, which when combined with our enhanced Telehealth features, helps clinicians maintain critical continuity-of-care during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It is especially rewarding to hear in a patient’s own words the significant impact that durably healing their refractory wounds has on their daily lives. It’s both quite humbling and motivating for us all to continue in our cause to make TWO2 therapy available to all who could benefit from its life altering outcomes.”

 

About AOTI

AOTI is a privately-owned company based in Oceanside, California USA and Galway, Ireland that provides innovative solutions to resolve severe and chronic wounds worldwide. Our products reduce healthcare costs and improve the quality of life for patients with these debilitating illnesses. Our patented non-invasive Topical Wound Oxygen (TWO2) therapy is unsurpassed in closing all chronic wound types.

 

For more information see: www.aotinc.net

Contact:
Dr. Mike Griffiths
CEO and Medical Director
317543@email4pr.com
(760) 672 1920

SOURCE AOTI Inc.

What to Know About Diabetes Prevalence and Management in Asia

The number of people who live with diabetes has been increasing worldwide over the last several decades, but there has been a significant jump in the number of people with diabetes — particularly type 2 diabetes — in Asia and China.

Currently, more than 60 percent of people with type 2 diabetes live in Asia, primarily in China and India.

There are many complicated factors that play a role in why diabetes diagnoses are increasing in this part of the world. Rapid industrialization and urbanization lead to lifestyle changes that factor into the increasing rate of diabetes in Asia … read more

A multi‐centre, single‐blinded randomised controlled clinical trial evaluating the effect of resorbable glass fibre matrix in the treatment of DFUs

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) represent one of the many complications of long-standing diabetes.1 Not only are these wounds expensive to treat, with a recent systematic review showing that the mean cost was over $31 000 in 2015,2, 3 but complications, especially infection, can require prolonged antibiotic administration, deep and extensive debridement, and lower extremity amputations when these measures fail. Even relatively shallow (UT1A, Wagner 1) DFUs that do not respond to standard of care (SOC) are at risk for amputation of the affected area.2-5 This risk increases for patients who have had prior DFUs or amputations. Any product, therefore, that can prevent infection or disrupt biofilm while promoting wound healing in a moist environment is worthy of further investigation … read more

Experimental chronic wound dressing made from human protein

If you’re trying to make a wound dressing that will be well-tolerated by the human body, you may be best off using human-derived materials. That’s the approach that German researchers have taken, creating a tropoelastin-based bandage. Tropoelastin protein molecules are produced naturally by the human body, and they’re the main building block of elastin, a biopolymer which gives the skin and organs their elastic properties. In the past, scientists have tried to reduce scarring by injecting tropoelastin directly into wounds, without much success … read more

The “self-treatment of wounds for venous leg ulcers checklist”

Patients who have chronic wounds such as leg ulcers should be active participants in their treatment and care. This participation may include self-treatment of the wound which involves the patient cleaning the wound, applying and removing wound dressings, and/or applying and removing compression therapy. The aim of the study was to develop a Checklist to assist nurses to appraise the conduct of wound treatment when undertaken by the patient. A three-phase mixed methods study was conducted. A systematic and evidence-based approach to developing and using structured observations for the study of health behaviour guided the process of developing, piloting and refining the Checklist … read more

Barriers to Prevention and Timely Presentation of Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Perspectives of Patients from a High-risk Urban Population in the US

Diabetic foot amputation is a preventable complication that is increasing in incidence in the United States, with disparities across geography, race, ethnicity, and income. This qualitative study explored the experiences of people in a low-income urban area in the United States in preventing and obtaining care for foot ulcers. Sixteen adults with foot ulcers were identified through purposive sampling based on records of hospital stays and primary care visits. Semi-structured interviews were transcribed and analyzed for key themes. Participants described inadequate understanding of diabetic foot disease: many sought care only after developing advanced symptoms. They identified social and health system factors as barriers to timely access to care. Some participants described a realization of the seriousness of their condition and an ability to improve self-care after developing an ulcer. Patients’ experiences can inform the design of amputation-reduction initiatives to achieve more desirable results, including enhanced self-management capabilities, timely access, and attention to social determinants … read more

TECHNOLOGY EFFECTIVE AGAINST ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT PATHOGEN

RESEARCH SHOWS ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT CANDIDA ALBICANS IS KILLED BY EXPOSURE TO VOMARIS BIOELECTRIC V.DOX™ TECHNOLOGY

Vomaris Innovations, Inc. announced today the publication of results demonstrating that the company’s bioelectric V.Dox™ Technology is effective in killing antibiotic-resistant Candida albicans pathogens. The manuscript, “Ketoconazole Resistant Candida albicans is Sensitive to a Wireless Electroceutical Wound Care Dressing,” was published in Bioelectrochemistry https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioelechem.2021.107921. The research was led by Chandan K. Sen, Ph.D., Director of the Indiana Center for Regenerative Medicine and Engineering at Indiana University and Distinguished Professor and J. Stanley Battersby Professor of Surgery at the IU School of Medicine.

 

Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest global public health challenges of our time1. Every year, more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the United States2, and 700,000+ people die globally3. Meanwhile, the discovery of novel antimicrobials is not keeping up with the emergence of new superbugs.1,4 “Antibiotic resistance is growing, and we are fast running out of treatment options. If we leave it to market forces alone, the new antibiotics we most urgently need are not going to be developed in time,” predicts Dr. Marie-Paule Kieny, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Health Systems and Innovation.

 

In the study, researchers sought to determine whether the wireless electroceutical wound care dressing or “WED”, was effective in managing pathogenic molecular processes employed by ketoconazole-resistant yeast Candida albicans. Candida albicans poses a major threat to skin and wound infection. It’s typically treated topically with the drug ketoconazole. However, ketoconazole-resistant pathogens are an emerging threat in the management of skin infection.  The authors believe that the emergence of multidrug resistance in Candida albicans warrants the need for alternative, non-pharmacological methods of wound treatment.

 

Vomaris’s WED, powered by V.Dox™ Technology, is a proprietary pattern of embedded microcell batteries that wirelessly generates a low level of electricity in the presence of moisture.  The research team used an in vitro model to test WED alone, ketoconazole alone, and the combination of WED + ketoconazole, against ketoconazole-resistant Candida albicans. Three controls were used, including no treatment, plain polyester fabric, and a fabric impregnated with silver.

 

The researchers found that WED functioned in a multi-pronged manner to effectively treat ketoconazole-resistant Candida albicans. Findings included:

  • Prevented hyphal growth. The development of hyphae (long, branched filaments) is a critical part of albican’s growth cycle. Stopping hyphal growth prevents C. albicans from causing infection and subsequent tissue damage.
  • Impaired efflux pump system. Damaging this system prevents albicans from rejecting helpful antibiotics.
  • Damaged cell wall integrity. Weakening the cell wall structure allows antibiotics to reach the pathogen.
  • Disrupted biofilm formation. C. albicans develops a biofilm ‘shield’ to protect it from immune system and antibiotic attack. WED interfered with its ability to form biofilm.
  • In contrast, silver alone was ineffective in all experiments.

“This work presents clear evidence that the wireless electroceutical dressing kills ketoconazole-resistant Candida albicans,” said Dr. Sen. “Our findings introduce the option of a novel biophysical solution for fighting chronic wound infection in which antibiotic-resistant pathogens are prevalent.”

“These latest findings by Dr. Sen and team add to our growing body of evidence on the significant role electricity can play in combatting antibiotic-resistant pathogens. In this era of antibiotic stewardship, a wound care product that kills pathogens without the use of antibiotics is an important technological breakthrough,” said Vomaris President and CEO Michael Nagel. “Our V.Dox Technology is already FDA cleared and is the only bioelectric product of its kind in the marketplace today.”

IU School of Medicine is the largest medical school in the U.S. and is annually ranked among the top medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

About Vomaris

Vomaris Innovations, Inc. (www.vomaris.com) is a privately held medical device company specializing in bioelectric technology that is redefining infection control and wound healing. Vomaris’s patented V.Dox™ Technology is defining the bioelectric wound care market; it’s the only platform in the world that powers a new generation of antimicrobial dressings for the wound and incisional care markets. The company currently has six randomized controlled trials in progress.

Vomaris and V.Dox and respective logos are trademarks of Vomaris Innovations, Inc.

 

First-of-Its-Kind Virtual Workshop to Offer Hands-on Skills Practice in Its Live Coverage of Wound Hygiene Principles

Malvern, PA – July 30, 2021 – WoundCon, the first and largest global virtual wound care conference, is proud to announce a new and innovative live event that is free to attend and offers 5.25 CME/CE credits. Biofilm-Based Wound Care is a virtual, hands-on skills workshop that will be presented with closed captioning in eight languages, including Chinese, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, German, Polish and English.

The workshop will take place on Friday, September 24, 2021 from 7:00AM to 3:50PM EDT and will be available on-demand for two weeks after the event … read more

New Net Health Innovation Can Predict Risk of Amputations and Wound Healing Rates

Net Health recently announced the addition of two pioneering predictive analytic capabilities embedded in the workflow of the company’s widely used electronic health record (EHR) platform.

Offering artificial intelligence-based capabilities, the Net Health Wound Care software platform now includes the Risk of Amputation Indicator, developed to reduce the risk of amputations, and the Wound Healing Velocity Indicator, developed to predict wound healing rates, according to the company. Net Health says both capabilities will provide insights needed to develop optimal patient therapies, implement effective interventions, and plan treatment paths that will improve outcomes … read more

Silver Ion Hydrocolloid Gauze and Self-Adhesive Polyurethane Foam Dressing Combination Therapy Can Better Promote Healing of Skin Graft Donor Area Than Traditional Therapy

The management of skin graft donor area has been a troublesome problem in reconstructive surgery. Currently, no guidelines exist for the management of skin graft donor areas, and the disposal methods vary from clinician to clinician. Objective. With the goal of providing a better basis for improved patient care, the authors conducted a case control study to investigate whether a combination of silver ion hydrocolloid gauze and self-adhesive polyurethane foam dressing (AG+foam group) was effective in healing skin graft donor sites. Materials and Methods. Forty-eight patients requiring intermediate-thickness skin graft between January 2014 and December 2015 were included in the study. Inclusion criteria included a skin graft measuring at least 40 cm2 to be harvested from the ipsilateral thigh and patient age of 14 years to 60 years. All patients were treated differently according to the … read more

Made Easy: Wound bed preparation

Wound bed preparation (WBP) assists clinicians to identify and address the barriers of wound healing to create an optimal wound healing environment. WBP is a multifaceted approach that includes cleansing and debridement to enhance the effectiveness of therapeutic measures and prepare the wound for healing (Falanga, 2000; Schultz et al, 2003). The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in supported self-care, but this has focused mainly on ensuring the supply of wound dressings, and that patients can identify wound deterioration and change dressings. As the effects of the pandemic continue, there is an opportunity to formalise a supported self-care framework for patients and carers that includes WBP.

MADE EASY: WOUND BED PREPARATION

Study Shows Increased Risk For Foot Infection-Related Hospitalizations In People With Diabetes

According to a recent publication in Diabetologia, there is an increased risk of infection-related hospitalization in patients with diabetes.1 This includes foot infections, for which the risk of hospitalization was nearly six times greater in patients with diabetes than those without. Remarkably, the risk for hospitalization in patients with diabetes for all infection types, including foot infection, respiratory infection, urinary tract infection, GI infection, sepsis, and post-operative infection was 67 percent higher than the non-diabetic group. In addition, the study authors noted a stronger association between diabetes and hospitalization related to infection in younger participants and Black patients … read more

A report of 12 months’ of data collected from a diabetic foot clinic at a public hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

This report interprets data gathered from a diabetic foot ulcer clinic in an outpatient department of a public hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The data were gathered between September 2019 and August 2020 and were entered into a Microsoft Excel™ spreadsheet. It gives basic demographic information of Cambodian patients with diabetic foot ulceration and provides data that can be used to measure any future research or audit. The data collection timeframe … read more

Wound Healing Foundation (WHF) Thomas K. Hunt Lecture Video

We (Wound Healing Foundation) honor Dr. T.K. Hunt, a stalwart wound care expert and supporter of the Wound Healing Foundation. Dr. Hunt is the founding President of the Wound Healing Society and the namesake for the Wound Healing Foundation’s scientific and intellectual Endowed Lecture

 

Evidence for Person-centred Care in Chronic Wound Care

Chronic wounds affect an estimated 2.21 per 1000 population. They are a significant source of morbidity and affect individuals physically, psychologically, socially and financially. Person-centered care is one approach to improve patient outcomes in wound care as it values patients’ perspectives, beliefs and autonomy and considers the person as a whole within the cultural context in which care is provided.

ECONOMIC VALUE OF PODIATRIC SURGERY WHEN ADDED TO A VASCULAR SURGERY PROGRAM

Over the last decade, multidisciplinary “toe and flow” programs have gained great popularity with proven benefits in limb salvage. Many vascular surgeons have incorporated podiatrists into their practices. The viability of this practice model requires close partnership, hospital support, and financial sustainability. We intend to examine the economic values of podiatrists in a busy safety-net hospital in the Southwest United States … read more

Case Presentation: Diabetic Foot Infection and Failed Oral Antibiotics

In this video, Robert J. Klein, DPM, FACFAS, CWS, discusses a case that involves a 51-year-old male with a diabetic foot infection (dog bite) and failed outpatient therapy with oral antibiotics. The patient was then admitted IVABx and for OR debridement and NPWT. Watch the video to learn more about the patient’s outcome.
watch video

Brian Wise is named Woundtech CEO

HOLLYWOOD, Fla., Aug. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Woundtech, a leading wound management company serving Medicare Advantage health plans and at-risk senior care provider groups, announced that Brian Wise has been named as its Chief Executive Officer. Brian Wise succeeds Founder Jeffrey Galitz, MD who will continue as a member of the Board of Directors and advise the company on strategic and clinical direction.

Brian Wise is an accomplished healthcare leader with over twenty years of experience scaling complex care management services and technology under value-based and capitation arrangements. Brian most recently served as Chairman of Cix Health, a patient mobile app empowering patients and family members to manage complex chronic conditions. He was the founder and CEO of Advance Health which later merged with CenseoHealth to become Signify Health. Signify Health offers solutions to payers and healthcare providers to succeed in managing value-based care. Brian also served in senior leadership roles at Amerigroup and Coventry Health Care … read more

Significant Reductions in Amputations, Emergency Visits, and Hospital Readmissions Associated with Advanced Treatment Using Skin Substitute Products …

MiMedx Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDXG) (“MIMEDX” or the “Company”), an industry leader in utilizing amniotic tissue as a platform for regenerative medicine, today announced publication of its peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Wound Care (JWC), addressing the observed impact of Advanced Treatment (AT) using all high-cost skin substitute products in lower extremity diabetic ulcers (LEDUs) based on data from the Medicare Limited Dataset (October 1, 2015 through October 2, 2018). The study assessed outcome in patients receiving AT with all high-cost skin substitute products, as designated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), for LEDUs versus No Advanced Treatment (NAT), and found that AT use could lead to a 42% reduction in major and minor amputations and all related costs, compared to NAT. Further, the study highlights preferable outcomes when AT follows parameters for use (FPFU), underscoring the importance of early treatment with regular intervals and well-defined treatment guidelines … read more

Application of Topical Sucralfate and Topical Platelet-Rich Plasma Improves Wound Healing in Diabetic Ulcer Rats Wound Model

One of the most devastating complications of diabetes mellitus is diabetic ulcers. Not only because these ulcers heal slowly, these ulcers may also cause disability and even results in limb loss.1 A diabetic ulcer is a chronic wound usually found in the soles of the diabetic patient’s feet. The occurrence of diabetic ulcers is mostly associated with neuropathy and vasculopathy in the form of the peripheral arterial disease which happens in the lower limb of the diabetic patient.2 Around 2% to 5% of all population in the world suffers from diabetic ulcers.3 The hyperglycemic state in diabetics causes molecular and physiological changes that cause diabetic ulcers to become difficult to heal, increasing its risk to secondary infection and potentially causing limb amputation if it is not treated properly.4 Diabetic ulcers account for nearly 90% of all lower limb amputation cases, with a reported mortality rate per year of 5.5% due to diabetic ulcers.

The main aim of diabetic ulcer therapy is to prevent extensive damage and secondary infection of diabetic ulcers, thereby minimizing the risk of further damage or even limb amputation. A thorough therapy for diabetic ulcers includes wound debridement, wound dressing, revascularization procedures, infection management, and ulcer off-loading … read more

A Human Fibroblast-Derived Growth Factor Preparation in the Management of a Chronic Surgical Wound in a Diabetic Patient: A Case Report

The treatment of choice in patients with ischaemic heart disease is coronary artery bypass grafting. The procedure entails the harvesting of the great saphenous vein through a significant leg incision, which may result in infections and wounding at the incision site. Patients with diabetes mellitus pose a greater risk of developing non-healing wounds, which may significantly affect the patient’s quality of life. The use of anti-inflammatory factors and other chemokines derived from cultured human fibroblasts may represent a useful therapeutic approach for the management of surgical wounds in patients with the greatest probability of being wound healing compromised. This case study describes the treatment of a non-healing surgical tibial wound in a male diabetic patient treated with a preparation of human anti-inflammatory interleukins cytokines, and growth factors. The treatment resulted in swift recovery, significant pain reduction and complete wound closure with minimal scarring … read more

A molecular approach to maggot debridement therapy with Lucilia sericata and its excretions/secretions in wound healing

Chronic wounds caused by underlying physiological causes such as diabetic wounds, pressure ulcers, venous leg ulcers and infected wounds affect a significant portion of the population. In order to treat chronic wounds, a strong debridement, removal of necrotic tissue, elimination of infection and stimulation of granulation tissue are required. Maggot debridement therapy (MDT), which is an alternative treatment method based on history, has been used quite widely. MDT is an efficient, simple, cost-effective and reliable biosurgery method using mostly larvae of Lucilia sericata fly species. Larvae can both physically remove necrotic tissue from the wound site and stimulate wound healing by activating molecular processes in the wound area through the enzymes they secrete. The larvae can stimulate wound healing by activating molecular processes in the wound area through enzymes in their excretions/secretions (ES). Studies have shown that ES has antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, angiogenic, proliferative, hemostatic and tissue-regenerating effects both in vivo and in vitro. It is suggested that these effects stimulate wound healing and accelerate wound healing … read more

Wound Practice and Research Volume 29 Number 2

Editorial
Connect, Collaborate, Innovate
Prof Allison J Cowin and Dr Peta Tehan

Original research
Dissemination of microbiota between wounds and the beds of patients with pressure injuries: a cross-sectional study
Mao Kunimitsu, Gojiro Nakagami, Aya Kitamura, Takeo Minematsu, Yuko Mugita, Kazuhiro Ogai, Junko Sugama, Miku Aoki, Chika Takada and Hiromi Sanada

Original research
Reducing the incidence and severity of pressure injuries in a high level care residential aged facility: a quality improvement project
Allyson Waird, Susan Monaro

Review
Caring for a child with Epidermolysis Bullosa: a scoping review on the family impacts and support needs
Colin J Ireland, Lemuel J Pelentsov, and Zlatko Kopecki

Clinical Trial Protocol
Physical activity, sleep and wound healing in adults with venous leg ulcers: a prospective observational cohort pilot study protocol
Yunjing Qiu, Victoria Team, Christian R Osadnik, Jane O’Brien, Louise Turnour, Ayoub Bouguettaya, Rosemary A McGinnes and Carolina D Weller

Review protocol
Measurement properties of quality of life instruments for adults with active venous leg ulcers: a systematic review protocol
Shiwen Liu, Victoria Team, Yunjing Qiu and Carolina D. Weller

Abstracts
Abstracts from the Wounds Australia Conference 4 – 6 May 202

Medicinal Plants as Efficacious Agents for Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Systematic Review of Clinical Studies

A diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a chronic, nonhealing wound that occurs in approximately 15% to 25% of patients with diabetes, and amputation is necessary in approximately 5% to 24% of these patients. Medicinal plants have demonstrated promising wound healing activities in animal models of DFUs as well as in clinical studies. These plants, which are described as medicinal in different regions of the world, are not considered to be standard medicinal treatments in Western medicine at this time. Some medicinal products, such as bromelain—an herbal protease currently used for enzymatic debridement of wounds—have been obtained from plants, showing the important role of these natural products as sources of wound healing agents. This paper aims to review clinical studies on the effects of medicinal plants in patients with DFUs based on the improvement of local and systemic parameters related to wound healing. Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies from inception through May 2019 using the keywords “diabetic foot ulcer” … read more

Scenes From the COVID Resurgence in Wound Clinics

Physicians weathered the first wave of COVID-19 over a year ago, coping with challenges such as a lack of personal protective equipment, providing care via telehealth, and a lack of vaccines. With the Delta variant, many hospitals may be swamped with patients with the coronavirus. Several physicians spoke to Today’s Wound Clinic about their challenges.

“We are busier than ever,” says Matthew Regulski, DPM, ABMSP, CMET, FAPWH(c), the medical director of the Wound Care Institute of Ocean County, New Jersey. “We have so many wound patients. Our wound centers are jam-packed.” … read more

DFCON DIABETIC FOOT CONFERENCE October 21 – 23, 2021

DFCon is the premier international, interdisciplinary diabetic foot conference in North America. This year, the DFCon will be hybrid, so it will be possible to attend both virtually and physically. As always, the program will be designed for the wide spectrum of generalists and specialists who diagnose and manage the diabetic foot. Didactic talks, panel discussions, Q&A sessions, specialty symposia and workshops will delve into diagnostic and interventional strategies for diabetic foot ulcers and amputation prevention. DFCon is singular in that it allows close interaction with world-renowned clinician scientists working on both tried and true methods and cutting-edge technology

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Frank & Lizzie Show: Episode 006, Dr. Naz Wahab

Join Frank & Lizzie as they discuss the newest wound care technology in the toolbox with Dr. Naz Wahab, MD, FAAFP, FAPWCA. The group will be discussing how this handheld imaging device differs from thermography, how it captures tissue oxygenation in the microvascular system, it’s application in the daily operations of the wound care clinic, and learning curves experienced. For more information and to see the impressive clinical outcomes achieved with Kent Imaging SNAPshot, contact eric@kentimaging.com
 

Assessment of Microcirculation in the Type 2 Diabetic and Impaired Glucose Tolerance Feet of Elderly Men by CEUS

Objective: To evaluate the foot microcirculation in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and impaired glucose tolerance patients (IGT) with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

Methods: The study included 37 patients with T2DM but without diabetic foot (DM group), 15 patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT group) and 10 elderly males with normal fasting blood glucose (FBS) and negative glucose tolerance tests (control group). Color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and CEUS were performed on the right foot great toes for detecting the blood perfusion performance. CEUS images were recorded and parameters of CDFI and flow time-intensity curves (TICs) were analyzed by the Student’s t-test
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Skin closure device aids wound care in a variety of knee procedures

The goals of surgical wound closure include enabling the wound to heal rapidly without infection or complication and returning the incisional region to the best level of function and appearance. How effectively health care professionals use their time in the surgical suite and postoperatively can be a determining factor in the selection of a closure modality … read more

Webinar: Innovations in Wound Care

This 30-minute presentation features learning opportunities that will provide in-depth instruction and demonstration in wound care treatments. After this webinar, the learner will be able to:

  • Identify the role of proper wound cleansing
  • Discuss how to select and use non-toxic wound cleansers
  • Describe advantages of collagen for managing a chronic wound

RedDress Secures Capstone Health Alliance Contract to Expand Access to ActiGraft®

RedDress, a privately held U.S. and Israel-based wound care company, announced today that it has secured a contract with Capstone Health Alliance, one of the nation’s largest regional group purchasing organizations representing 300 hospitals in all 50 U.S. states.

Chronic non-healing wounds impose a significant economic burden on the healthcare system, health care providers, and patients. The ActiGraft® system aims to deliver an affordable and efficacious wound solution to Capstone Health Alliance Members to help improve the health and lives of patients … read more

Evonik Acquires Biomaterials Company JeNaCell

Evonik announced today that it has acquired German biotech company JeNaCell, expanding its biomaterials portfolio with the startup’s biotechnologically derived cellulose. JeNaCell’s biomaterial is used in medical procedures involving wounds and burns as well as in hydro-active skincare treatments.

Evonik first invested in JeNaCell in 2015 through its venture capital arm. With this acquisition, JeNaCell’s portfolio will be integrated into Evonik’s healthcare business, which is shifting from a nutrition and care focus toward system solutions and an expanded division-wide technology platform of natural materials for medical technology. Evonik plans to increase the share of system solutions in its Nutrition & Care division from the current 20% to more than 50% by 2030 … read more

How Will Wound Care Evolve in the Future?

Wound care is expected to cost billions of pounds annually. Wound management products are estimated to be responsible for almost one-quarter of the costs. New approaches to wound management are discussed in this chapter, along with ways in which innovation will improve patient outcomes … read more

Customized, biomedically applicable materials based on tropoelastin for wound care

Customized, biomedically applicable materials based on tropoelastin are being developed in a joint project by Skinomics GmbH from Halle, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS. The material combines biocompatibility, durability, biodegradability and favorable mechanical properties similar to those of skin. Preclinical tests have confirmed that it is suitable for use as a wound dressing material used in the treatment of chronic and complex wounds … read more

Biosensors embedded in bandages could monitor diabetic foot wounds to prevent amputations

It was sparked by a chance conversation. Simon Palfreyman and Manisha Gupta got to talking about their research after a meeting. He’s an expert in wound care and she’s a leader in making biosensors that can be attached to the skin to monitor things like temperature or the presence of germs … Palfreyman, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Nursing, expressed frustration that despite the best efforts of health-care teams, more than a thousand Albertans a year lose their lower limbs to amputation due to complications from diabetic foot ulcers … read more

Evidence in wound care

There is an ever-growing variety of products and devices available to practitioners to improve healing rates and patient outcomes, but practitioners should be able to critically appraise evidence to make appropriate evidence-based changes to practice. This position document reviews the available evidence in wound care, looking especially at the critical appraisal of level 1 evidence, before considering the steps required to translate evidence to practice … read more

InsiteOne LLC expands relationship with existing customers and closes successful First Quarter of operation

InsiteOne LLC, the leading provider of offsite cloud enterprise imaging archiving solutions, announces today a successful first quarter of operation that included contracting directly with over 50 NTT DATA customers and several resellers, dealers, and partners. While providing world-class cloud outsourcing services to NTT DATA and their customers is a primary focus, InsiteOne is also transitioning those customers and partners who have elected to continue and/or expand their enterprise imaging archiving footprint with InsiteOne directly — many of whom were original customers/partners of InsiteOne 20 years ago.

Doylestown Health (DH), located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, re-evaluated its complete enterprise imaging needs in the Spring of 2021. As an existing NTT DATA customer for radiology archiving for the past five years, DH was looking for a partner that could help design and execute on its enterprise imaging and cloud strategy … read more

Wound care and dressing selection for pharmacy teams

Pharmacists play a key role and are often the first point of contact for people with wounds, both chronic and acute. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this has only become more apparent.

The burden of wound care is increasing through the ageing population, growing comorbidities and increased skin integrity issues (Guest et al, 2015; Guest et al, 2020), with the annual prevalence of wounds increasing by 71% between 2012/2013 and 2017/2018 (Guest et al, 2020) – and with many people being reluctant to go into the hospital or primary care setting, the key role of the pharmacist will continue to develop and grow … read more

Indian Scientist Develops Advance Wound Dressing Material That Can Treat Diabetic Wounds and Manage Chronic Ones at Competitive Cost

An Indian scientist has developed an advanced wound dressing based on agarose, a natural polymer derived from seaweed agar, for the treatment of infected diabetic wounds and patients suffering from chronic wounds … An Indian scientist has developed an advanced wound dressing based on agarose, a natural polymer derived from seaweed agar, for the treatment of infected diabetic wounds and patients suffering from chronic wounds … read more

Synedgen Initiates Clinical Trial Assessing Combination of SynePure and Catasyn for the Treatment of Partial Thickness Burns

Synedgen, a biotechnology company using glycopolymer chemistry to develop therapeutics that enhance and control signaling in the innate immune system, today announced the initiation of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the safety and effectiveness of SynePure™ Wound Cleanser (SynePure) in combination with Catasyn™ Advanced Technology Hydrogel (Catasyn) for the treatment of superficial partial-thickness burn wounds … This study is an investigator-initiated randomized trial comparing SynePure and Catasyn (intervention group) to the current gold standard treatment, Silvadene (control group). Both groups will receive the same care other than cleansing treatment. Subjects will be recruited from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Mercy Burn Center adult patient population who have sustained superficial partial-thickness burn wounds. Dr. J. Peter Rubin, MD, the Chair of Plastic Surgery at UPMC, is the principal investigator for this study. The trial is being funded by the Defense Health Agency (DHA) through the US Army Medical Research and Development Command’s (USAMRDC) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to improve the current treatment of burn wounds, particularly to meet a gap in the early acute phase of treatment and will potentially increase the technological readiness level of these products … read more

Infection-Related Hospitalizations High for Adults With Diabetes

People with diabetes may face a higher risk for hospitalization for any infection, a new analysis suggested.

In a prospective study of over 12,000 middle-age adults, those with diabetes had a 67% higher risk for infection-related hospitalization compared with adults free of diabetes over the course of nearly 30 years (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.52-1.83), reported Elizabeth Selvin, PhD, MPH, of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, and colleagues … read more

FDA participates in new ‘collaborative communities’ to address emerging challenges in medical devices

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced participation in several new collaborative communities aimed at addressing challenges in patient health care. Collaborative communities are a continuing forum where private and public sector representatives of the community work together on medical device challenges to achieve common objectives and outcomes.

“We’re pleased to announce the progress we’ve made with participation in collaborative communities. These collaborations with diverse stakeholders are not only a strategic priority for the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, they also provide much needed forums for deep discussion and solution-driven initiatives to tackle important issues within the medical device ecosystem,” said Jeff Shuren, M.D., J.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “The insights and outcomes developed by these groups will have long-standing impacts on public health.” … read more