The burden of chronic wounds for the individual, the health system and the whole community is familiar to the readers of this journal. Improving lives and saving money through better wound care is a common theme across this issue, and in the broader wound care activities.

Wounds Australia recognises that to achieve our vision of Quality wound care and prevention for all requires us to inform and engage with a broad audience. During Wound Awareness Week from 15 to 21 July 2018 Wounds Australia will launch our Five Point Plan to Reduce the Burden of Chronic Wounds. Our plan outlines 5 key initiatives to drive the change for best practice wound care for all Australians and reduce the suffering as a result of chronic wounds.

1. Medicare funding for treatment of chronic wounds in primary health care. A dedicated MBS item for treatment of chronic wounds to enable GPs, nurses and allied health professionals to deliver the best practice.

2. Subsidised wound products (dressings and related products) for people experiencing long term wound care. Advanced Wound management products often attract a premium cost. Selecting low cost, modest outcome products is a false economy. Research has shown that the use of less expensive dressings actually increases costs of treating a wound … read more

Researchers in the United States present their findings on research into new smart bandages capable of real-time monitoring and treating chronic wounds.

Chronic wounds develop when a wound fails to heal within the expected time, which might be a couple of weeks or up to several months. They are often caused by diabetic wounds, pressure ulcers, leg ulcers, arterial ulcers, and malignant wounds. Chronic wounds may lead to severe pain, affecting an individual’s quality of life.

Chronic wounds affect millions
Currently, chronic wounds are a major health concern in the United States as they are affecting over 25 million people. This number will likely increase owing to the aging population and the continuous increase in the number of diabetes and obesity cases. According to the American Professional Wound Care Association, chronic wounds have caused the nation over 30 billion dollars each year … read more

A major global health issue is the existence of chronic wounds. Appropriate diagnosis and treatment is essential to promote wound healing and prevent further complications. Traditional methods for treatment and diagnosis of chronic wounds have shown to be of limited effectiveness. Therefore, there is a need for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic innovations in chronic wound care.

Objective: This mini-review aims to provide insight in the current knowledge of the wound healing process and the deficiencies encountered in chronic wounds, which provides a basis for the development of innovations in chronic wound care. Furthermore, promising diagnostic and therapeutic innovations will be highlighted … read more

There are many risk factors associated with chronic wound development, with age being an unchangeable one. The good news is, there are also changeable risk factors. Understanding how to prevent and treat a chronic wound is crucial when caring for older adults. To help older adults, caregivers, and the professionals working with them, below are answers to some common questions about chronic wounds and tips for how to educate on risk factors … There is no true definition for a chronic wound, but it is typically a wound that does not progress normally through stages of healing and has not healed within four weeks. There are many different types of chronic wounds, examples include diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, and pressure injuries … read more

A new study, “An Economic Evaluation of the Impact, Cost, and Medicare Policy Implications of Chronic Nonhealing Wounds,” published in the International Society For Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research’s Value in Health journal (Jan. 2018) demonstrates the economic impact and full burden of chronic nonhealing wounds in the Medicare population. The study analyzed the Medicare 5% Limited Data Set for CY2014 to determine the cost of chronic wound care for Medicare beneficiaries in aggregate, by wound type, and by setting. Topline findings show that chronic wounds impact nearly 15% of Medicare beneficiaries … read more

A new study, “An Economic Evaluation of the Impact, Cost, and Medicare Policy Implications of Chronic Nonhealing Wounds,” published in the International Society For Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research’s Value in Health journal (Jan. 2018) demonstrates the economic impact and full burden of chronic nonhealing wounds in the Medicare population. The study analyzed the Medicare 5% Limited Data Set for CY2014 to determine the cost of chronic wound care for Medicare beneficiaries in aggregate, by wound type, and by setting. Topline findings show that chronic wounds impact nearly 15% of Medicare beneficiaries (8.2 million) at an annual cost to Medicare conservatively estimated at $28.1 to $31.7 billion … read more

as a Cost- and Clinically Effective Wound Care Modality

Chronic wounds pose a widespread challenge to health care, with many new, costly wound care modalities introduced in recent years with varying degrees of success. Bacterial biofilms have been postulated as one of the main culprits of the stagnation of chronic wound healing. For years, surgical fields have used pressurized irrigation for cleansing surgical wounds, but its utility in managing nonhealing chronic wounds has often been overlooked. Objective. In this case series, the authors aimed to demonstrate that hydromechanical therapy with pressurized irrigation can be a cost-effective and clinically effective wound care modality … read more

Wounds come in many shapes and sizes. Some are small and heal quickly, causing few problems. Others are larger and slower to heal. Deep wounds that take especially long to go through the normal healing process, called chronic wounds, are of particular concern; these have a tendency to reopen and are often accompanied by infection and, eventually, scarring. Add to this the fact that chronic wounds are difficult to treat with currently available therapies, and you end up with a serious healthcare challenge … read more

Wound healing is a complex process that is highly dependent on many skin cell types interacting in a defined order. With chronic wounds, this process is disrupted, and healing does not normally progress. Although there are different types of chronic wounds, those occurring from injury, such as skin tears or pressure injuries, are some of the most common. These injuries are a result of repeated mechanical irritation. Moisture-associated skin damage is another condition that can contribute to chronicity.1 Understanding the causes and contributors to these injuries can help to minimize patients’ risk of developing them. It can also aid in the formation of an optimal treatment plan for when injuries do occur, which reduces the healing time and leads to better patient outcomes … read more

Wound healing is a complex process that is highly dependent on many skin cell types interacting in a defined order. With chronic wounds, this process is disrupted, and healing does not normally progress. Although there are different types of chronic wounds, those occurring from injury, such as skin tears or pressure injuries, are some of the most common. These injuries are a result of repeated mechanical irritation. Moisture-associated skin damage is another condition that can contribute to chronicity. Understanding the causes and contributors to these injuries can help to minimize patients’ risk of developing them. It can also aid in the formation of an optimal treatment plan for when injuries do occur, which reduces the healing time and leads to better patient outcomes … read more

The team led by Prof Gopal Nath of the department of Microbiology said that wounds that took months and years to heal, could now be cured in days or months
A team of scientists from the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have found a cure for those suffering from chronic wounds, particularly with diabetic foot ulcers. The team led by Prof Gopal Nath of the department of Microbiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, said that wounds that took months and years to heal, could now be cured in days or months. The findings of study have been published in the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, US … read more

This document originated in 2001 as a joint position statement from a collaborative effort of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.1,2 Its purpose was to review the evidence about clean vs. sterile technique and present approaches for chronic wound care management. Then as now, areas of controversy exist due to a lack of agreement on the definitions of “clean” and “sterile” technique, lack of consensus as to when each is indicated in the management of chronic wounds, and lack of research to serve as a guide. Wound care practices are extremely variable and are frequently based on rituals and traditions as opposed to a scientific foundation … read more

The devastating impact of chronic wounds has been laid bare as research reveals that hundreds of thousands of patients suffer with pain and immobility for more than a year.

One in ten sufferers is even taking antidepressants to cope, with many more unable to work or leave the house.

About a million patients are undergoing five dressing changes a week, with 90 per cent of those claiming their quality of life is severely affected.

More than 2.8 million Britons are living with a chronic wound, defined as one that does not heal within three months.

But the ‘new normal’ is that patients are affected for eight months … read more

Researchers at the University of Arkansas have developed a new approach to diagnosing and monitoring chronic skin wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers and pressure wounds … Chronic skin wounds affect more than 150 million people worldwide and cost approximately $25 billion in health care annually in the United States alone. These non-healing wounds are characterized by inflamed tissue, poor blood circulation, callus formation or infection … Current clinical approaches for diagnosing and monitoring these wounds do not provide critical diagnostic information about how they develop or why they do not heal … read more

Introduction. Viable placental membrane (vPM) has been shown to decrease time to healing, adverse wound events, and wound-related infections. Wound research exclusion criteria commonly exclude wound types other than diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers (VLUs), comorbidities including peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (DM), and wounds with exposed bone or tendon. Objective. This retrospective research study evaluated the clinical use and outcomes of the vPM with living mesenchymal stem cells used in chronic wound management in the community hospital outpatient department setting with the goal of comparing real-world use and outcomes of the product with use and outcomes described in the chronic wound literature … read more

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression among hospitalized patients with a chronic wound and explore the influence of demographic factors, disease characteristics, social support, and coping styles on their mental status … read more

Treating chronic dermal ulcers and severe burns can be challenging. This webinar will discuss the phases of wound healing and overview wound bed preparation using enzymatic debridement.

… register

A virus that infects a dangerous bacteria helps it thrive in wounds, according to a study by Stanford researchers. But a vaccine against the virus dramatically cuts the bacteria’s infectivity … A common bacterial pathogen called Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces a virus that substantially increases the pathogen’s ability to infect us, according to a study by investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine … P. aeruginosa weaponizes its resident virus to exploit the immune system’s distinct responses to bacterial versus viral infections … read more

chronic wounds proven by gold-standard trial

Comparative clinical trial shows significant improvement in wound closure and infection control based on treatment with the plasmajet kINPen® MED from neoplas med compared to best practice wound care – cost-effectiveness analysis proves high cost-savings by innovative technology

GREIFSWALD, Germany and FELDKIRCH, Austria, March 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The results of a randomized controlled trial (RTC) may offer new opportunities for the approximately two million patients with chronic wounds solely in Germany: The innovative cold atmospheric plasmajet (CAP-jet) technology showed significantly more healing progress in chronic wounds in comparison to best practice (BP) modern wound care at two study centers. Within six weeks, 59 percent of all wounds healed completely under cold plasma treatment compared to only 5.1 percent in patients under BP therapy. Time to complete healing was also considerably shorter under CAP-jet treatment, and wound infections were overcome statistically significant more rapid. With a very good tolerability profile, an economic analysis of the study data also showed a cost saving of 65 percent for the dressing material alone compared to the BP group. The study data were recently published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports.

Acceleration of wound healing and wound closure proven

In the study conducted by Prim. Univ.-Professor Robert Strohal, head of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology at the Federal Academic Teaching Hospital Feldkirch, the cold plasma procedure of the Greifswald-based company neoplas med GmbH was scientifically examined in wound care. For this purpose, he compared treatment with the CAP-jet kINPen® MED at the Austrian Federal Academic Teaching Hospitals Feldkirch and Bregenz with current best practice treatment in 78 patients with infected and non-infected wounds. ‘This study was the first to investigate the exclusive effect of tissue accessible cold plasma on wound healing and infection control without the use of an additional standard therapy,’ said Prim. Univ.-Prof. Strohal.

After treatment with the CAP-jet, the proportion of healthy tissue increased significantly faster than under the BP treatment and the wounds under CAP-jet therapy also healed significantly faster. At the end of the study, the wound area in the CAP group had reduced by 94.7 percent compared to the baseline value, in the comparison group it was only 56.3 percent. CAP also proved superior in terms of infection control. In contrast to BP therapy, all wounds infected at the start of the study showed complete resolution of infection signs. In addition, the signs of infection disappeared significantly faster under cold plasmajet therapy.

Patients’ quality of life can improve

Ulrike Sailer, CEO of the company neoplas med GmbH in Greifswald/Germany, explained: ‘The Joint Federal Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss, G-BA) as the central decision-making body of the German health care system already recognized last year the potential of cold plasma for the innovative treatment of chronic wounds at our request. Therefore, the G-BA decided to carry out an observational trial for testing with the aim of obtaining health insurance approval. The results of the clinical trial that now have been published clearly demonstrate the superiority of the CAP-jet kINPen® MED compared to BP wound care. These results provide further evidence for the high clinical relevance of the CAP-jet precision technology. At the same time, it represents important news for millions of people who suffer from chronic wounds for years.’

Chronic wounds are often associated with high morbidity and considerable impairments in everyday life as well as the patients’ psyche. Faster wound healing and thus a shorter therapy duration by using the plasmajet kINPen® MED can therefore significantly improve the patients’ quality of life. Furthermore, a lower burden by pain during treatment can be observed, and a reduced number of dressing changes can be assumed. Patients confirmed the very good tolerability and even described the treatment as pleasant in the majority of cases.

Significant advantage in treatment costs

A cost-effectiveness analysis based on the available study data showed that 21.4 percent fewer physician visits and 34.3 percent fewer dressing changes were necessary in the CAP-jet group compared to BP. The savings alone in dressing material resulted in a cost advantage for CAP-jet therapy of 64.7 percent compared to BP. Previously, average costs of 10,000 € per patient and year were assumed. Ulrike Sailer: ‘Thus, the cold plasmajet kINPen® MED offers not only a more efficient and tolerable technology, but also opens up the opportunity for significantly higher cost-effectiveness in the treatment of chronic wounds.’

Further information material can be found under the following link: https://1drv.ms/u/s!Aph6cOwNbPEJgQCIbClSETCZ_lal?e=BvkuGi

Background Information:

The study included 78 patients with wounds up to 10 x 20 cm in size and existing for at least 6 weeks. The patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio into two groups and treated for the study duration of 6 weeks either with the CAP-jet kINPen® MED (30 seconds per cm2 wound area) or suitable wound dressings according to BP wound care. Only one wound per patient was evaluated.

With regard to the treatment regime, CAP-jet therapy was administered 3 times in the 1st week in the CAP group, 2 times in the 2nd week and once a week in the following observation period; furthermore, the wounds were covered with gauze and a secondary dressing. In contrast, the BP group was treated with a wound phase-adapted dressing; infected wounds were additionally cleaned with an antiseptic. In both groups, patients with venous ulcers received compression therapy. The primary endpoint of the study was the amount of granulation tissue at the end of the study. In addition, cold plasma effects on wound infection, wound area, healing time, wound pH and exudate volume (wound fluid) as well as local tolerability were investigated.

Improvement in wound infection: All 13 wounds infected at baseline in the CAP-jet group showed complete resolution of infection signs without the need for additional antiseptics. In contrast, 4 of the 18 wounds infected at baseline in the BP group showed no improvement despite the use of antiseptics. Furthermore, the signs of infection decreased significantly faster under CAP-jet therapy compared to BP therapy. These data confirm the previously published evidence on the good antimicrobial efficacy of CAP.

Cold plasma is a gas containing ionized atoms, ions and electrons that has been shown to disinfect wounds and activate the wound healing process. With its fine jet, the plasmajet kINPen® MED enables highly precise treatment in anatomically and pathologically challenging areas under visual control and without touching, which is not possible with other wound therapies.

About neoplas med GmbH

neoplas med GmbH was founded in 2009 as a spin-off of the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology e. V. (INP) in Greifswald, Germany. Ulrike Sailer took over the position of managing director at the end of 2019. Based on the INP research into plasma medicine, the emerging company develops innovative products for medical applications. The first product developed on this basis is the CE-marked kINPen® MED atmospheric pressure plasmajet, the first internationally approved and marketed plasmajet for the treatment of chronic wounds and pathogen-induced skin disorders. It is the result of a long-lasting cooperation with the INP institute, the university hospital of Greifswald, Germany, the Charité hospital of Berlin, Germany, and various industrial partners. In July 2021, the Federal Joint Committee, as the central decision-making body in the self-governing health care system, decided on a trial study with the cold plasmajet procedure and thus took an important step towards reimbursement by the health insurance companies.

About kINPen® MED

The plasmajet kINPen® MED is the first atmospheric pressure plasmajet to receive CE approval for the treatment of chronic wounds and pathogen-induced skin disorders. The plasmajet applies a physical cold plasma with a temperature of < 40 degrees Celsius with pinpoint precision and without wound contact. Areas with an uneven profile, recesses or cavities can be reached easily and treated evenly. The noble gas argon used for the generation of the plasma provides a controlled atmosphere around the generated plasma beam, thus ensuring a consistent high treatment quality.

Press contact

Claudia Kerber
Phone: +49 3834 515 201
Mobile: +49 (0)162 23 770 70
claudia.kerber@neoplas-med.eu
neoplas med GmbH
Walther-Rathenau-Straße 49a, 17489 Greifswald, Germany

Health Espresso, Canada’s upcoming leader in community EHR, partners with best in class, Wounds Canada, to provide an AI powered, digital solution that’s aligned with the government’s target of delivering better, more connected care and improving health equity for patients, especially those in remote communities. The partnership brings Wounds Canada’s best practices, resources and training to front-line practitioners at the point of care coupled with the ability for remote patient monitoring for better outcomes.

OAKVILLE, ONTARIO (PRWEB) APRIL 13, 2022

When Linda Moss’ father was transferred to a second hospital for rehabilitation following a brain injury neurosurgery, her family only received information about the primary reason for his hospitalization: his neurological progress. Linda Moss and her family didn’t know that their father was suffering from a pressure injury that would eventually cause osteomyelitis. It was only when their father was denied a second surgery due to complications from the pressure injury that the severity of the wound was discovered.

Unfortunately, this gap in communication between health-care providers, specialists and patients is far too common in the Canadian health-care system. The complete picture of patients is seldom shared, especially when they are complex or receive care from multiple partners. This leads to a lack of timely wound care and ultimately irreversible complications that can result in amputations or even death in the case of Linda Moss’ father.

“Care teams and caregivers are essential together, and the first step in any prevention or further complications with wounds is a communicated Care Plan,” says Linda Moss.

A new partnership between national organization Wounds Canada and Medtech company Health Espresso is changing this. This partnership enables front-line clinicians, patients, policymakers, and researchers to digitize a patient’s journey and connect members of allied health teams at the right time to decrease acute and hard-to-heal wounds, reduce hospitalizations and improve patient outcomes. Leveraging this technology will also enable Wounds Canada to establish a Canadian national registry that can inform further research in wound care and provide quick and easy access to Wounds Canada’s validated tools and resources for immediate bedside action by clinicians and help support wound management by patients, especially those living in outlying communities.

“Wounds are a serious health complication that impacts the quality of life for patients while having significant economic implications on our health-care system, and the situation has only worsened under the strain of COVID-19. In many cases, hard-to-heal chronic wounds can be avoided or, if detected in the early stages, managed effectively — but we need evidence-based solutions to help us provide the safe, equitable and timely care that patients deserve in home care and across all health-care settings,” says Mariam Botros, CEO of Wounds Canada. “That’s why Wounds Canada is excited to partner with Health Espresso to offer a skin and wound care mobile app that benefits not only patients but also clinicians, researchers and policymakers. With the launch of this digital solution, we’ll be able to improve patient care, reduce hospitalizations and lower spending on wound care while also increasing the skills and knowledge of front-line clinicians and establishing a Canadian national registry to inform further research.”

“As a registered nurse and private wound care consultant in rural southwestern Ontario, providing safe, timely, equitable access to interprofessional, evidence-informed care to people living with wounds can be challenging,” adds Crystal McCallum, Director of Education with Wounds Canada. “The skin and wound care mobile app that Health Espresso is developing in collaboration with Wounds Canada will address these challenges and will prove to reduce the burden of wounds and enhance the experience and outcomes of people living with wounds while enabling better use of health-care resources.”

Certified by the Ontario Telehealth Network (OTN) and powered by artificial intelligence, Health Espresso’s easy-to-use mobile and web-based integrative digital solution offers a connected, collaborative approach to wound care. It provides a complete digital blueprint of a patient’s overall health and history, real-time vitals data, recorded notes from hospital visits, administered medication and more for timely, well-informed decision making. Unlike many standalone solutions, Health Espresso’s unique collaborative approach allows for a broader view of the patient’s journey with access to patient records, high-quality wound imaging and analysis tools to track healing progression and understand why a wound may not be healing correctly. It also includes built-in messaging and video tools that enable physicians, wound specialists and patients — especially those in remote or Indigenous communities — to engage in live communication within a secure environment.

“Health Espresso’s digital solution is aligned with the government’s target of delivering better, more connected care and improving health equity for patients, especially those in remote communities,” says Founder of Health Espresso Rick Menassa. “To optimize the healing of wounds, care needs to be timely, and a structured, collaborative approach to assessment, treatment, documentation and communication based on best practices is critical for providing patients with the best possible outcomes. We are pleased to partner with Wounds Canada to offer our technology and bring their best practices, resources and training to front-line practitioners at the point of care.”

ABOUT HEALTH ESPRESSO
Inspired by front-line experience in home and community care, Health Espresso was created to chronicle the entire patient journey. Starting with a digital patient profile and digital care plan, Health Espresso empowers health organizations to automate intake, triage and update patient records and follow through with post-discharge remote patient monitoring for better health outcomes. Health Espresso provides a collaborative, patient-centred platform for Allied Health professionals, Primary Physicians and Hospitals for a ‘one patient, one care plan’ approach to care, reducing service overlaps and gaps. Its secure, connected platform integrates with EMRs and government data assets for an all-encompassing view of patient records. Health Espresso’s mobile app complements its in-cloud web portal to empower physicians with real-time patient information and virtual care capability for time-sensitive decisions at the point of care, anywhere in the world. For more information, visit https://www.healthespresso.com

ABOUT WOUNDS CANADA
Established in 1995, Wounds Canada is a charitable organization dedicated to advancing wound prevention and management for all people in Canada. They advocate for a population health approach that promotes best practices to support persons at risk of or living with wounds, health decision-makers and front-line clinicians. They develop and provide educational programs and resources and support research to advance this holistic, risk-based approach further. Wounds Canada fosters relationships with interested individuals and organizations to expand and sustain a robust wound community in Canada with mutually beneficial global connections. Their goal is to reduce the prevalence and incidence of wounds of all types and the negative consequences they bring—including patient suffering and wasted health-care dollars. To learn more, visit http://www.woundscanada.ca.

This article was originally published here

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Nov. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ –As millions of Americans living with diabetes are also living with chronic wounds that won’t heal, Healogics® is raising awareness of diabetes-related wounds as part of the Healogics ninth annual Diabetes Awareness Campaign.

Throughout November, Wound Care Centers® will educate the local community about the importance of awareness, early intervention and specialized care for diabetes-related chronic wounds, like diabetic foot ulcers. Local team members will also visit healthcare providers in surrounding areas to provide important information to help at-risk patients living with diabetes.

Diabetes Awareness Infographic

There are more than 37 million Americans currently living with diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Additionally, there are 96 million American adults who have prediabetes, leading to 1.4 million new diagnoses of diabetes every year. Diabetes-related wounds are a leading cause of limb loss, accounting for nearly 70 percent of cases undergoing lower extremity amputation in the United States.

“This campaign is essential because early detection of diabetes-related wounds significantly reduces amputation risks. Diabetic foot ulcers are the leading cause of diabetes-related hospitalizations and lower-limb amputations. What starts as a small cut or blister can quickly progress into a non-healing wound with severe complications. With 50 percent of our patient population living with diabetes, we know firsthand that our awareness efforts can help improve the lives of those struggling with diabetes-related wounds,” said Healogics Chief Executive Officer Frank Williams.

Many suffering from chronic wounds have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as they have eschewed needed care during the past two-plus years. Untreated and undertreated wounds have resulted in amputation, according to a study from the ADA. Of the patients who have undergone one amputation, 55 percent will require amputation on the second leg. An amputation results in decreased quality of life, increased medical costs and a significantly higher risk of mortality.

“Many people who come to the Wound Care Center® with chronic wounds are among the 37 million adults living with diabetes. Some were unaware that diabetes put them at greater risk for non-healing wounds. Encourage patients to check their feet every day. It’s imperative we help patients avoid the serious consequences of non-healing wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers, by raising awareness of the risks and importance of daily foot screenings to help prevent an avoidable amputation,” said Healogics Chief Medical Officer Dr. William Ennis.

Factors that may increase the risks of developing a chronic wound, such as a diabetic foot ulcer, include high blood sugar levels, poor circulation, immune system issues and nerve damage. Risk factors for diabetes include age, diet, activity level, obesity and heredity.

Healogics recommends the following to help prevent diabetic foot ulcers:

• Stop smoking immediately
• Request comprehensive foot examinations each time you visit your healthcare provider (at least four times a year)
• Examine your feet every day or have a family member inspect them
• Take good care of your feet and clean your toenails
• See your healthcare provider to care for corns and calluses
• Choose supportive, proper footwear (shoes and socks)
• Take steps to improve circulation such as eating healthier and exercising regularly

Early detection and specialized care from a Wound Care Center® can reduce healing times and significantly reduce the risk of amputation.

Contact Healogics to learn more about diabetic foot ulcers or if you have a wound that will not heal. To schedule an appointment, please call 1-800-379-9774 or visit Healogics.com.

About Healogics
Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., Healogics is the nation’s wound healing expert. Last year over 300,000 patients received advanced wound care through a network of over 600 Wound Care Centers. Healogics also partners with over 300 skilled nursing facilities to care for patients with chronic wounds and provides inpatient consults at more than 60 partner hospitals. As the industry leader, Healogics has the largest repository of chronic wound-specific patient data in the country. The Healogics Wound Science Initiative offers peer-reviewed research and advanced analytics in the pursuit of not only better outcomes, but a better way to provide care.

SOURCE Healogics, LLC

This article was originally published here

AcryMed is touting their latest innovation in wound healing: Dissolved oxygen delivery, via their Oxygenesys system:

Our research shows that these new devices deliver significant amounts of dissolved oxygen, which is the biologically relevant form” said Dr. Bruce Gibbins, Founder and Chief Technical Officer at AcryMed. “We conducted studies on human donor skin to show for the first time that through Oxygenesys TDO, sufficient oxygen penetrates deep into tissues to make up for the oxygen deficiency … read more

Keywords:
Oxygen therapy,
OxyGenesys,
AcryMed,
SilvaSorb,
Chronic wounds

AcryMed’s OxyGenesys for Wound O2 Delivery: Where It Stands in 2025

Original Post Date: August 2, 2018

Updated: June 4, 2025

Update Note: This post has been updated in June 2025 to provide the latest insights on OxyGenesys and to introduce NATROX O₂, a modern alternative for topical oxygen therapy in wound care. We’ve added new details to help you stay informed about the best options for managing chronic wounds.

Oxygen is critical for wound healing, playing a key role in cell growth, infection prevention, and reducing inflammation. However, chronic wounds like diabetic foot ulcers or venous leg ulcers often suffer from hypoxia—low oxygen levels due to poor blood flow. This is where topical oxygen therapies (TOT) come in, delivering oxygen directly to the wound to support healing.

Back in 2018, we covered AcryMed’s OxyGenesys, a promising system for wound oxygen delivery. Let’s revisit OxyGenesys, explore its current status, and compare it to a leading alternative, NATROX O₂, which is making waves in 2025.

OxyGenesys: What We Knew in 2018

OxyGenesys was developed by AcryMed, a Beaverton, Oregon-based company focused on wound care innovations. Dr. Bruce Gibbins, AcryMed’s Founder and Chief Technical Officer, shared that OxyGenesys was designed to deliver “significant amounts of dissolved oxygen, which is the biologically relevant form” for wound healing.

AcryMed’s studies on human donor skin showed that OxyGenesys could penetrate deep into tissues, addressing oxygen deficiencies in chronic wounds. This was a big deal because deeper oxygen delivery could potentially accelerate healing, reduce infection risks, and improve outcomes for patients with hard-to-heal wounds.

At the time, OxyGenesys seemed like a game-changer, especially since topical oxygen therapy was gaining traction as a non-invasive way to treat chronic wounds. But what’s happened since then?

OxyGenesys in 2025: Is It Still Available?

Unfortunately, the trail for OxyGenesys goes cold after 2018. AcryMed was acquired by I-Flow Corporation in 2008 for $25 million, with the goal of expanding I-Flow’s wound care offerings. I-Flow was then bought by Kimberly-Clark Healthcare in 2009, which later became part of Owens & Minor.

Employee reviews on Glassdoor suggest AcryMed was shut down after these acquisitions, with the last update from 2015 mentioning its closure. There’s no recent public data on OxyGenesys—no new studies, product listings, or mentions in Owens & Minor’s current portfolio, which now focuses on brands like HALYARD and MediChoice.

A 2025 post on our site referenced an abdominoplasty trial involving OxyGenesys, but the results were inconclusive, showing no significant healing benefits. However, this trial focused on cosmetic surgery wounds, not chronic wounds, which may not align with OxyGenesys’ intended use.

Without updates from Owens & Minor or AcryMed, it’s likely that OxyGenesys is no longer available, possibly discontinued after AcryMed’s closure. If you have information on its current status, we’d love to hear from you in the comments!

A Modern Alternative: NATROX O₂

While OxyGenesys may no longer be an option, topical oxygen therapy remains a vital tool for wound care, and newer technologies have stepped up. One standout is NATROX O₂, developed by Inotec AMD Ltd., which shares OxyGenesys’ goal of delivering oxygen to wounds but with modern advancements and robust clinical evidence as of 2024.

NATROX O₂ is a portable, battery-powered device that provides continuous topical oxygen therapy (cTOT) at a low flow rate of 11ml/hour. It includes an Oxygen Generator that produces pure, humidified oxygen from atmospheric air, and a sterile Oxygen Delivery System with a wheel-shaped design that conforms to the wound, allowing exudate to pass while optimizing oxygen diffusion.

Unlike older systems, NATROX O₂ is silent, lightweight, and designed for 24/7 use, making it practical for both home and clinical settings. It works with most secondary dressings, adding to its versatility.

The evidence for NATROX O₂ is compelling. A 2021 study showed a 71% greater healing rate for chronic wounds like diabetic foot ulcers compared to standard care alone. Patients also reported a 76% reduction in pain, and wounds saw a 73% greater size reduction.

In 2023, the Wound Healing Society gave cTOT a Level 1 evidence rating, and the American Diabetes Association included it in their guidelines for hard-to-heal wounds. NATROX O₂ has been successfully used in over 30 countries, with case studies showing faster healing, lower infection rates, and even limb salvage in severe cases.

Compared to OxyGenesys, NATROX O₂ likely offers a similar focus on sustained oxygen delivery to combat hypoxia, but with the advantage of being actively available and backed by recent data. While OxyGenesys emphasized deep tissue penetration, NATROX O₂’s continuous flow ensures a steady oxygen gradient, which may achieve similar benefits for chronic wound healing.

Why This Matters for Wound Care

Topical oxygen therapies like OxyGenesys and NATROX O₂ address a critical need in wound care: providing oxygen to wounds that traditional treatments can’t heal. If OxyGenesys is no longer available, NATROX O₂ offers a modern, evidence-based alternative that’s accessible today.

For patients, caregivers, and professionals visiting woundcareweekly.com, exploring options like NATROX O₂ can lead to better outcomes for chronic wounds. Interested in learning more about NATROX O₂? Visit their official site for details on how it works and how to access it for your wound care needs [Note: You can insert an affiliate link here if you join a program with NATROX O₂ or a distributor].

Stay tuned to woundcareweekly.com for more updates on wound care innovations.

Studies of Wound Closure Rate with Novel Chronic Wound Treatment Continue

SARASOTA, Fla., Oct. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Omeza today announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has confirmed a HCPCS reimbursement code for Omeza® Collagen Matrix; code A2014, “Omeza collagen matrix, per 100 mg” was established to describe the product.

Omeza® Collagen Matrix is the first of its kind drug-device combination product, with a simple snap and squeeze application for chronic wounds.

Omeza® Collagen Matrix is the first of its kind drug-device combination product, with a simple snap and squeeze application for chronic wounds. The FDA-cleared drug-device received a Level II Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) reimbursement code paving the way for providers to receive reimbursement from Medicare.

The decision came after application was made to CMS in late 2021. Omeza Chief Commercial Santino Costanza stated, “This decision by CMS opens the doors to Omeza’s innovative treatment line for millions of Americans covered by Medicare who are currently suffering from chronic wounds. Now we look forward to educating commercial payors on the health, financial and humanitarian benefits of a positive reimbursement decision.”

Earlier this year the Department of Veterans Affairs Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Service granted contract status for Omeza® Collagen Matrix. All Omeza products are available to government agencies through Marathon Medical, a prime vendor for the VA.

Currently, three US clinical trials are investigating the use of the three-product Omeza treatment product line, which includes Omeza® Collagen Matrix, for documentation of healing rates in venous ulcers, diabetic ulcers, and other chronic wounds. Concurrently, individual case studies submitted by providers testing the Omeza treatment product line on chronic wound closure in their clinical settings report an average percentage area reduction (PAR) of 60% at 4 weeks.

Omeza ® Collagen Matrix is indicated for the management of wounds including partial and full-thickness wounds, pressure ulcers, venous ulcers, diabetic ulcers, chronic vascular ulcers, tunneled/undermined wounds, surgical wounds (donor sites/grafts, post-Moh’s surgery, post-laser surgery, podiatric, wound dehiscence), trauma wounds (abrasions, lacerations, superficial partial thickness burns, skin tears) and draining wounds.

Omeza ® Collagen Matrix is the first drug/device combination product to deliver an anhydrous 3- dimensional microstructure of collagen to challenging wounds. When applied to a wound surface, the snap and squeeze matrix is naturally incorporated into the wound over time. Omeza® Collagen Matrix is designed for intimate contact with both regular and irregular wound beds, to provide a conducive environment for the patient’s natural wound healing process.

About Omeza:

Omeza (www.omeza.com) is a skin science company pursuing equitable access to better wound care outcomes for patients at all sites of care. The company is based in Sarasota, FL USA. Inquiries from medical and health professionals should be directed to info@omezapro.com.

SOURCE Omeza LLC

This article was originally published here

Transcript: Hello, my name is Dr Matthew Regulski. I’m the medical director for the wound Institute of ocean County, New Jersey, and senior partner at Ocean County Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates … I want to bring to your attention today about a new fast filming, forming silicone that I think has made significant progress in the treatment of both chronic and acute wounds. I’ve been in practice for 17 years and I treat chronic wounds of all types. This has made a substantial impact on the treatment of very hard-to-heal chronic wounds … watch

What is a chronic wound? What changes must happen within a wound for clinicians to classify it as “chronic”? Is there a time frame for healing chronic wounds? And what should we clinicians do to prevent and/or reverse chronic wounds? These are all great questions that keep us on our toes, from the dedicated seasoned clinician to the clinicians new to our field. In this blog I will define what a chronic wound is, what it consists of, and whether there is a way to convert or reverse a wound.

By definition, a chronic wound is a wound that has “failed to proceed through an orderly and timely process to produce anatomical and functional integrity, or proceeded through the repair process without establishing, a sustained anatomic and functional result.”1 In layman’s terms, a chronic wound is a wound that does not proceed through the four phases of wound healing in an orderly fashion and decides to make one too many pit stops through the journey …

read more 

     Review of Evidence and Recommendations

Healthcare systems are being challenged to manage increasing numbers of nonhealing wounds. Wound dressings are one of the first lines of defense in wound management, and numerous options exist. The oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC)/collagen dressing may offer healthcare providers a robust and cost-effective tool for use in a variety of wounds.

Healthcare systems are being challenged to manage increasing numbers of nonhealing wounds. Chronic wounds affect more than 6.5 million people in the United States. This trend has also been observed in other developed countries, such as Denmark (affecting an estimated 1% of the population), Sweden (prevalence: 2.4 per 1000 people), and the United Kingdom (prevalence: 3.55–3.7 per 1000 people).3 As populations increase and age, the incidence of chronic wounds is also forecasted to increase, further stressing healthcare systems and providers.

Wound healing and tissue regeneration are a complicated series of biochemical processes that create an orderly healing cascade with 4 key phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling.6 If this process becomes unbalanced, healing stalls and results in chronic, nonhealing wounds. Acute wounds progress through healing in a predictable time frame, culminating in an epithelialized wound. Chronic wounds start out as acute wounds and, unless their chronic causes are removed, either fail to progress through the wound healing process and (most often) stall in the inflammatory phase, or proceed through the repair process without establishing a sustained anatomic and functional result … read more

Findings from a New Clinical Study Using MolecuLight Imaging of Diabetic Foot Ulcers Prompts New Diagnostic Terminology Enabling Proactive Infection Management

TORONTO, Feb. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ – MolecuLight Inc., the leader in point-of-care fluorescence imaging that locates and detects elevated bacterial loads in and around wounds, announced the publication of “Point-of-care fluorescence imaging reveals extent of bacterial load in diabetic foot ulcers“1 in International Wound Journal. The publication reports on the analysis of 138 diabetic foot ulcer wounds, highlighting the frequent presence of healing delays and elevated bacterial burden as identified through standard clinical assessment, fluorescence imaging (MolecuLight i:X®), and quantitative microbiology.

Chronic inhibitory bacterial load (“CIBL”) on the bacterial-infection continuum. Based on the International Wound Infection Institute (IWII) 2022 wound infection continuum (CNW Group/MolecuLight)

The emergence of data on the link between bacterial load and healing over the last decade, together with this current study, prompted study authors David G. Armstrong, Michael E. Edmonds, and Thomas E. Serena to define new clinical terminology, chronic inhibitory bacterial load (CIBL). CIBL is defined as “the chronic presence of bacterial microorganisms in a wound or its surrounding tissue at loads which can damage tissues and be inhibitory to healing, as well as require clinical intervention, with or without the presence of clinical symptoms”.

MolecuLight fluorescence imaging is currently the only way to detect and locate CIBL at the point of care. This term enables the proactive diagnosis of CIBL early along the bacterial-infection continuum, to facilitate its targeted removal, promote healing, and prevent the sequelae of infection in frequently asymptomatic diabetic ulcers.

Key findings of the study include:

• Less than 12% of diabetic ulcers exhibited clinical symptoms of bacteria and infection, despite the presence of loads >10⁴ CFU/g in over 90% (average bacterial load of 10⁸ CFU/g). Even as bacterial loads increased up to >10⁸ CFU/g, detection of clinical signs and symptoms of infection did not increase.
• Bacterial loads >10⁴ CFU/g can preclude wounds from healing through various biological mechanisms and are contraindicated for many advanced therapies. This study showed that the occurrence of delayed healing increased alongside bacterial load.
• Fluorescence imaging using MolecuLight increased sensitivity for the detection of CIBL across loads 10⁴–10⁹ (p < .0001), peaking at 92.6% for bacterial loads >10⁸ CFU/g. This was 8.3 times superior to standard clinical assessment alone.
• Fluorescence imaging further showed that 84.2% of ulcers contained high loads in the periwound region, an area that is frequently overlooked.

Infection prevention is a key goal of CIBL’s introduction, adoption, and management. CIBL is the result of these seasoned wound care clinicians’ long-time advocacy for proactive wound management as they see firsthand the devastating consequences of delayed treatment. “Infection is the greatest destroyer of the diabetic foot. It is the final common pathway for most amputations, and we need to fight it as early as possible in its natural history”, says Dr. Michael E. Edmonds, one of the paper’s authors and Consultant of Diabetologist at the Diabetic Foot Clinic, King’s College Hospital Foundation Trust in London, UK. “CIBL localization and proactive management is a crucial strategy in reducing unnecessary amputations and saving lives”, he concludes.

As MolecuLight is the only device capable of detecting elevated bacterial loads in wounds in real-time, regions of CIBL can be non-invasively and accurately detected and mapped. The device provides clinicians with immediate feedback to guide their therapeutic decision-making process in a number of clinical settings from the outpatient clinic to the operating room. Multiple routine procedures are enhanced by its proven capabilities, such as debridement, wound hygiene, and preparation for advanced therapies resulting not only in better outcomes,3,4 but more rational resource consumption and antimicrobial stewardship.4

“There is also a meaningful role for fluorescence imaging with MolecuLight in antimicrobial stewardship. This is critical considering that approximately 70% of patients with diabetic foot ulcers are prescribed antibiotics at some point during their care, and over 80% are prescribed antimicrobial dressings3, often in a haphazard manner”, says Dr. Thomas Serena, study author and the Founder and Medical Director of The SerenaGroup®. “Diagnostic uncertainty has been listed as a key factor in antibiotic overuse in wound care. Fluorescence signals as a real-time imaging biomarker of CIBL could enable clinicians to more effectively leverage hygiene-based strategies to remove bacteria rather than resorting to antibiotics”.

“The definition of an infection’s genesis and its resolution is a clinical one”, notes Dr. David G. Armstrong, study author, Professor of Surgery at the University of Southern California, and founder and co-Director of the Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA). “The problem is that many objective local signs may be blunted in the chronic wound and it is likely that we are not yet effectively measuring what we manage. Fluorescence imaging of chronic inhibitory bacterial load (CIBL) is positioned to potentially change contemporary paradigms of wound management. We are hopeful that this new clinical term, CIBL, can be a key indicator to enable pre-infection intervention such as debridement or modification of wound therapy.”

The MolecuLight i:X and DX are the only imaging devices for the real-time detection of elevated bacterial burden in wounds that are FDA cleared and CE and Health Canada approved. With clinical evidence including over 65 peer-reviewed publications involving 1,500 patients, they are used by leading wound care facilities globally.

References
1 Armstrong DG, Edmonds ME, Serena TE. Point-of-care fluorescence imaging reveals extent of bacterial load in diabetic foot ulcers. Int Wound J. 2023;20(2):554-566
2 Wounds International (2022) International Consensus Update 2022 International Wound Infection Institute (IWII) Wound Infection in Clinical Practice: Principles of best practice. Available from https://woundinfection-institute.com/
3 Price N. Routine fluorescence imaging to detect wound bacteria reduces antibiotic use and antimicrobial dressing expenditure while improving healing rates: retrospective analysis of 229 foot ulcers. Diagnostics (Basel). 2020;10(11):927.
4 Rahma S, Woods J, Nixon JE, Brown S, Russell DA. The use of point-of-care bacterial autofluorescence imaging in the Management of Diabetic Foot Ulcers: a pilot randomised controlled trial. Diabetes Care. 2022;45:1601-1609.

About MolecuLight Inc.
MolecuLight Inc. is a privately-owned medical imaging company that has developed and is commercializing its proprietary fluorescent imaging platform technology in multiple clinical markets. MolecuLight ‘s suite of commercial devices, which include the MolecuLight i:X® and DX™ fluorescence imaging systems and their accessories, are point-of-care handheld imaging devices for the real-time detection and localization of bacterial load in wounds and digital wound measurement. MolecuLight procedures performed in the United States benefit from an available reimbursement pathway which includes two CPT® codes for physician work to perform “fluorescence imaging for bacterial presence, location, and load” and facility payment for Hospital Outpatient Department (HOPD) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) settings through an Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) assignment. The company is also commercializing its unique fluorescence imaging platform technology for other global markets with relevant unmet needs in food safety, consumer cosmetics and other key industrial markets.

SOURCE MolecuLight

Abstract:
Introduction. Silver dressings are widely used in the treatment of chronic wounds to reduce bacterial bioburden. However, little is known about the mechanism of silver ions on the healing process. In this study, a mouse model of wound healing was used to examine the effect of silver dressings in normal and diabetic wounds.

METHODS:
Two 5-mm full-thickness wounds were created on the dorsal skin of diabetic BKS.Cg- m+/+Leprdb/J mice (experimental group) and wild type C57BL/6 mice (control group), and treated with either a silver or gauze dressing. Measurement of wound areas by digital planimetry demonstrated faster healing in the silver-treated wounds of both diabetic and control mice.

RESULTS:
Quantitative bacterial cultures showed a reduction of bioburden in silver-treated wounds in wild type mice. Unexpectedly, there was no decrease in bioburden in the silver-treated diabetic wounds compared to the control diabetic wounds, despite improved healing in the silver-treated diabetic wounds. Staphylococcus xylosus, a known biofilm producer, was the only bacteria identified in all the wounds. In vitro studies showed S. xylosus produced biofilms faster in higher glucose environments; this may explain the increased bioburden in the wounds in diabetic mice compared to wild type mice.

CONCLUSION:
The results demonstrate improved healing and reduced bioburden in normal wounds with silver dressings. In contrast, silver dressings improved healing in diabetic wounds despite no effect on bioburden, suggesting silver may have beneficial effects in addition to its antimicrobial properties.

Original article from The National Library of Medicine (NLM) 

Using electricity to treat skin wounds may sound unconventional, but scientists in China and the US have developed a self-powered bandage that accelerated wound healing in rats. The findings are published in the journal ACS Nano. Skin has a remarkable ability to heal itself, but in some people, such as those suffering from diabetes, wounds heal very slowly or not at all. Such patients are thus at risk of chronic pain, infection and scarring. Doctors have explored various approaches to help chronic wounds heal, including bandaging, dressing, exposure to oxygen and growth-factor therapy, but these methods often show limited effectiveness. Meanwhile, as early as the 1960s, researchers have observed that electrical stimulation could help skin wounds heal. However, the equipment for generating an electric field is often large and may require patient hospitalization … Read more

Two leading wound industry solutions companies, with a shared passion for improving patient outcomes, are collaborating to improve the way that Home Health and other in-home providers care for patients with chronic wounds.

SAVANNAH, GA. (PRWEB) OCTOBER 24, 2022

HARTMANN USA and Corstrata announce their collaboration to support home health and other in-home providers in caring for wound patients at a time when the incidence of complex chronic wounds is increasing while access to wound care nurse specialists is becoming more challenging. At the core of a successful wound care program is access to both highly effective advanced wound dressings as well as clinical expertise to implement evidence-based treatment protocols and monitor wounds to closure. According to a recent study published by top-50 accounting firm BerryDunn, National Healthcare at Home Best Practices and Future Insights Study, 100% of Home Health Centers of Excellence (those Home Health agencies in the top 10% for quality and patient satisfaction and with a positive financial surplus) have a wound-certified specialist on staff.

This collaboration will increase access to Corstrata’s team of virtual board-certified wound nurses (WOC nurses) and HARTMANN’s suite of advanced wound care products to improve clinical and financial outcomes for in-home providers that care for patients with chronic wounds.

HARTMANN has been providing advanced wound dressing solutions globally for over 150 years and has evolved with its broad portfolio of high-quality, cost-effective products that provide home health clinicians with a simplified, consistent approach for effectively managing wounds. Corstrata provides virtual wound and ostomy care management nationwide across multiple provider settings, including home health, skilled nursing facilities, hospice, and emerging hospital-at-home solutions companies.

According to Jon Procopio, Managing Director of HARTMANN USA, “Patient care is our priority. HARTMANN strives to enable the progression of the wound towards complete healing that patients deserve and strengthen the confidence that healthcare professionals need to provide wound care. We have a nationwide team of dedicated account and customer care representatives specifically trained for consultation, education, and support in offering clinical and business solutions. Now, with Corstrata, we will enhance access to clinical expertise related to wound care through their team of certified WOC nurses.”

“The Corstrata team is excited about this important collaboration with HARTMANN to create access to Corstrata’s virtual WOC nurses for customers and the patients they serve. With up to one-third of all home health and hospice patients having a chronic wound, it is critical for clinicians to provide evidence-based care to both prevent and heal wounds,” says Joseph Ebberwein, co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of Corstrata. “At this time when agencies are struggling with critical staffing shortages, including WOC nurses, and increasing financial challenges, having a strong wound program is essential. This collaboration between Corstrata and HARTMANN provides a path to success.”

According to Katherine Piette, Corstrata’s CEO, the decision to collaborate with HARTMANN is an easy one. “Our virtual WOC nurses rely on our provider customers having access to highly effective advanced wound dressings to accelerate wound healing and reduce the overall cost of patient care, ” Piette says. “HARTMANN has a unique suite of advanced dressings that are being used by some of the top home health providers in the U.S. with impressive results. We are excited about the opportunity to improve the level of wound care provided for this ever-growing cohort of complex wound patients. Our clients can access clinical support from Corstrata when needed without the cost of hiring their own WOC nurse, a costly and often frustrating proposition. This collaboration will equip providers with turn-key wound solutions that they have been missing in their clinical care delivery at a crucial time in the industry.”

About HARTMANN
The HARTMANN GROUP is one of the leading providers of wound treatment and skin integrity solutions around the world. Wound dressings and maintaining healthy skin have been at the heart of HARTMANN from the beginning when we introduced the world’s first antiseptic wound dressing over 150 years ago. Overall, HARTMANN looks at rich legacy. Every day, healthcare professionals and patients rely on HARTMANN brands in the segments of Incontinence Management (e.g. MoliCare®), Wound Care (e.g. Zetuvit®) and Infection Management (e. g. Sterillium®). This is expressed in our brand promise of “Helps. Cares. Protects.” In 2021, the HARTMANN GROUP reported Group sales of EUR 2.3 billion.

For the latest information on HARTMANN, follow @HARTMANN_GROUP on Twitter.
To learn more about the HARTMANN GROUP, click here.
To learn more about HARTMANN USA, click here.

About Corstrata
Corstrata is a virtual care solution that utilizes technology to provide access to scarce certified wound and ostomy nurses at the patient’s bedside in post-acute provider settings, including home health, hospice, skilled nursing facilities, and emerging hospital-at-home providers. Corstrata’s team of WOC nurses provides consultations with provider staff at the patient’s bedside, either through HIPAA-compliant video or through review of store-and-forward wound images, to improve clinical and financial outcomes for providers.

For the latest information on Corstrata, follow @Corstrata on Twitter.
To learn more about Corstrata, click here.

This article was originally published here

     a paradigm shift in wound care

Chronic ulcers continue to pose a significant clinical and economic burden for both patients and wound care practitioners. Despite good standard of care (SOC), many wounds fail to heal. Wound healing requires a complex cascade of physiologic and immunologic processes as well as proper nutrition. An adequate balance of macro- and micronutrients is important to support the cellular activities that are necessary for repairing and remodeling of tissue. Despite being well documented in a number of clinical studies there continues to be a gap in recognizing nutritional deficits as well as appropriate clinical interventions in patients with chronic wounds. Effective management of malnutrition in patients with chronic wounds requires collaboration among multiple clinical disciplines. A holistic nutritional management approach may yield both clinical and economic benefits … read more

Broadcast times available: 8:00 AM (UK), 11:00 AM (UK), 15:00 PM (UK)

Evidence has proven the positive effects of topical oxygen therapy on chronic, hard-to-heal wounds. It is becoming widely accepted that hard-to-heal wounds contain biofilm and that the presence of biofilm delays and/or prevents healing. This webcast will inform practitioners about the issue of biofilm and how it affects wound chronicity, as well as how topical oxygen therapy may help to kickstart stalled healing. The NATROX study has shown that topical oxygen therapy has a positive effect on biofilm in chronic wounds, and this webcast will provide practical guidance so this can be applied in practice to improve healing outcomes ….. read more

the Future of Wound Care Management

BOSTON, April 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Healthy.io, the global leader in transforming the smartphone camera into a medical device, and Innovive Health, a data-driven home health care agency serving complex behavioral health patients, today announced a new partnership through which up to 700 Innovive nurses will use Healthy.io’s digital wound management service, Minuteful for Wound to enhance and extend patient care. The partnership illustrates how clinicians can use smartphone technology to track and treat chronic wounds like diabetic ulcers while enabling them to do their job more efficiently.

Innovive Health aims to revolutionize the treatment and care of chronic wounds in its vulnerable patient population by combining the company’s patient-centered, data-driven approach to home health care with Healthy.io’s smartphone-based service designed to enable healthcare providers to perform consistent and accurate wound measurement. Innovive Health’s ultimate goal is to improve continuity of care and allow clinicians to focus more of their time on patient care.

“We are thrilled about this partnership with Innovive Health,” said Healthy.io US General Manager Paula LeClair. “Innovive provides care to some of society’s most vulnerable and underserved communities, which aligns perfectly with Healthy.io’s mission. Together, we can change the way nurses use technology to monitor patients quickly and efficiently. COVID-19 brought to light the need for technology like our wound care product, which is key to helping nurses save precious time monitoring patients.”

“We’ve seen the ways Healthy.io has successfully changed wound care management and we are excited to partner with them to help our nurses accurately and consistently monitor chronic wounds. Any nurse can use this technology, which will result in more equitable patient care,” said Innovive Health’s CEO Joseph McDonough. “Innovive Health’s commitment to excellence coupled with Healthy.io’s vision-based medical technology can improve patient care for those suffering from particularly complex chronic wounds.”

Through this partnership, Innovive Health’s nurses use a smartphone to scan a wound before uploading the scan into a portal that allows them to assess whether the healing is proceeding properly. The AI-powered computer vision system analyzes wounds with optimal accuracy, automatically calibrating images for scale, lighting, dimensions, and 3D structure.

Healthy.io is confident this partnership will make it easier for nurses to manage wound care. Nurses using the Healthy.io wound management tool reported 85% faster documentation compared to standard methods and 67% reduction in their time for follow-up visits.

About Healthy.io

Healthy.io transforms the smartphone camera into a medical device to deliver healthcare at the speed of life. The company’s at-home urinalysis and digitized wound care services enable providers and healthcare systems to close gaps in access and care while increasing patient satisfaction. Healthy.io is a global leader in digital health and is a recipient of the CNBC 2020 Disruptor 50 Award, Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies 2020 Award, and the Financial Times 2020 Boldness in Business Award. The company is based in Tel Aviv and has offices in Boston and London.

About Innovive Health

As one of the leading home care health agencies in Massachusetts, Innovive Health has been delivering strong clinical outcomes for more than two decades and is transforming healthcare through an innovative model of patient-centered, data driven, full-service home care. Innovive Health provides high quality nursing, therapy and services to some of the region’s most vulnerable and underserved populations in the safety and comfort of their homes and communities. For more information, visit https://innovivehealth.com.

Media contact:

Kate Lucadamo
Vice President at Marathon Strategies
Kate@marathonstrategies.com

For Innovive Health
Travis Small
tsmall@sloweymcmcanus.com

SOURCE Healthy.io; Innovive Health

This article was originally published here

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

As advancements in connectivity and miniaturization of electronics are made, smart sensors are beginning to find traction within the wound care pathway. IDTechEx has published a report titled Advanced Wound Care Technologies 2018 – 2028 and have previously reported on why disruption is needed in wound care in the next 10 years. Here, we explore a few connected devices that can contribute to the prevention of chronic wounds of pressure ulcers (PUs) and diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).

Sensors for the Prevention of Pressure Ulcers MedicusTek have created the Sensable Care system which relies on a connected sensor pad or sensor mattress for detection of patient positioning to prevent pressure ulcer formation. By tracking patient position over time, the Sensable Care system can determine which areas of the patient are being exposed to prolonged pressure and notify caregivers accordingly for repositioning. The system resets if the patient successfully repositions themselves, thus decreasing the burden on caregivers where possible. Moreover, caregivers can receive immediate feedback as to whether their repositioning efforts were adequate in reliving the excessive pressure.

Read more at: https://www.wearabletechnologyinsights.com/articles/14270/connected-sensors-for-the-prevention-of-chronic-ulcers

improves patient outcomes vs standard of care: Results of a prospective randomized controlled multi-center clinical trial

The prevalence of diabetes in the United States continues to rise, with the disease now affecting 34.2 million, with an estimated additional 84 million at risk of progressing to diabetes in the coming years.1 The lifetime incidence of DFUs among diabetics is 19% to 34%, with recurrent ulceration reported as approximately 40% at 1 year and 60% at 3 years.2 Management is challenging and associated with substantial socio-economic burden approaching $40 billion annually in direct costs.3 Approximately 70% of DFUs resolve with standard wound care therapies. However, the natural healing cascade is arrested in the remaining 30%, which ultimately become chronic wounds.4, 5 Patients with chronic wounds typically suffer loss of function, recurrent infection, and significant morbidity.6 Amputations are reported in up to 20% of cases with an associated mortality of 70% at 5 years post-amputation … read more

The incidence of chronic wounds is increasing due to aging population and the augment of people afflicted with diabetes. Knowledge on the biological mechanisms underlying these diseases, there is a lot of medical technologies to conventionally treat the wound however wound healing differs from person to person … Several nanotechnologies have been developed demonstrating unique characteristics that address specific problems related to wound repair mechanisms. A review in Advance wound care journal, focused on the most recently developed nanotechnology-based therapeutic agents and evaluated the efficacy of each treatment in diabetic models … The success of topically administered growth factors in chronic wounds is limited. Due to their short in vivo half-life, low absorption rate through the outermost skin later around the wound, as well as rapid elimination by exudation before reaching the wound bed, might limit the efficacy of growth factors topical application … Conventional medications containing growth factors need to be applied in high doses and/or be repeatedly administrated over a long period, leading to important side effects and increasing the cost of the therapy. Presently, platelet-derived growth factor , fibroblast growth factor, and epidermal growth factor are widely studied for their application … read more