Category: Articles

KEELE, England, Dec. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Biocomposites, an international medical devices company that engineers, manufactures and markets world leading products for use in infection management in bone and soft tissue, is pleased to provide the following business update … Enhanced approval for STIMULAN in Canada and Saudi Arabia … In 2021, STIMULAN® products gained a new approval in Canada for mixing with antibiotics: vancomycin, gentamicin and tobramycin, for use in treating bacterial infection in soft tissue surrounding bone. This was followed by a new approval in Saudi Arabia for STIMULAN® to be mixed with antibiotics for use in bone and soft tissue … STIMULAN® is the only calcium matrix antibiotic carrier with an EU approval for use in bone and soft tissue and offers surgeons the flexibility to apply broad spectrum ‘off-the-shelf’ antibiotics at concentrations that will support their patient-specific treatment plans – dramatically improving patient outcomes and redefining standard of care … read more

The measurement of oxygen levels in the blood commonly referred to as blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) is a critical medical diagnostic. The condition of below normal levels (<95%) is termed hypoxemia and is associated with patients who have asthma, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease … SpO2 levels are also of interest for brain and other surgical procedures (i.e. flap surgery), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), tumor development, the healing of wounds from conditions such as diabetic foot ulcer, systemic rheumatic disease, neuropathy and sepsis2–5. Pulse oximeters, a simple optical device that measures the ratios of two critical band-passes of light through an appendage … read more

Diabetes-related wounds, particularly diabetes-related foot ulceration, is mainly caused by lack of foot sensation and high plantar tissue stress secondary to peripheral neuropathy, ischemia secondary to peripheral artery disease and dysfunctional wound healing. Current management of diabetes-related wounds involves the offloading high foot pressures and the treatment of ischemia through revascularisation. Despite these treatments, the global burden of diabetes-related wounds is growing, and thus novel therapies are needed. The normal wound healing process is a coordinated remodelling process orchestrated by fibroblasts, endothelial cells, phagocytes and platelets, controlled by an array of growth factors. In diabetes-related wounds this coordinated process is dysfunctional. Past animal model and human research suggests that prolonged wound inflammation, failure to adequately correct ischemia and impaired wound maturation are key therapeutic targets to improve diabetes-related wound healing … read more

Restore Diabetic Wounds Through Accelerated Fibroblast Proliferation and Migration
Inhibition of cellular adaptation to hypoxia can cause persistent inflammation, thereby increasing tissue damage and complicating wound healing in diabetes patients. Regulating cellular adaptation to hypoxic environments can help in effective wound repair. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α is a key regulator of cell hypoxia. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) regulate wound repair. This study investigated the mechanism of HIF-1α overexpression in adipose-derived stem cell extracellular vesicles (ADSCs-hEVs) in the repair of diabetic wounds … read more

Swelling or edema is common. It can result from certain diseases, infections, conditions, trauma, or injury, and even medication.1 Typically, the swelling goes away on its own. Sometimes, however, the swelling continues and can worsen over time … This article serves as a guide to help patients and caregivers understand what swelling is and when medical help is necessary. We will educate patients and their caregivers about lymphedema including common risks and contributing factors. This article will also provide general treatment recommendations for lymphedema and provide general and disease-specific resources for individuals affected by lymphedema … read more

The Fall is a busy time in the policy world, as government agencies such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalize policies for the fiscal year ahead such as the CY 2022 Physician Fee Schedule and more. Get up to speed on the latest payment and coverage policies that can impact wound care with this update from the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders … Real world evidence: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is opening up the door to more real-world evidence (RWE) in 2022 and beyond with two new draft guidance documents issued: Real-World Data: Assessing Electronic Health Records and Medical Claims Data To Support … read more

Suzanne Moloney, the founder of HidraWear, first experienced the painful symptoms of Hidradenitis suppurativa as a young teen … At the time was a Suzanne a typical teenager who loved sports and running. She kept quiet about what was happening – she was embarrassed, as any 13-year-old would be. By her mid-teens, the lumps were bigger and harder to manage. Suzanne finally mustered up the courage to speak to a GP when they became infected … Suzanne was prescribed antibiotics every time new lumps flared up, which helped but didn’t stop the painful growths coming back. This cycle continued for years as more lumps appeared under her arms and at the tops of her legs … read more

Novel Food Supplement to Support Tissue Regeneration

GRÄFELFING, Germany–(BUSINESS WIRE)– suppliDerm, a new brand by sanaFactur, represents a science based range of food supplements supporting tissue regeneration the immune system, and energy metabolism. All of these are critical for wound patients. ‘Our team of pharmacists, biochemists and nutritional specialists have combined carefully selected micro- and macro nutrients to support the body’s regenerative processes. Many older people and wound patients are suffering from nutritional deficiencies, also impacting their wound healing.’ says Dr. Alexander Maassen, CEO Scientific. A patent has been filed.

sanaFactur is an established brand in Wound Care, currently focusing on antimicrobial products. ‘suppliDerm will perfectly complement our existing portfolio, enabling patients to actively support wound therapy by supporting their regenerative metabolism. We do look forward to launch our food supplement with several flavors internationally, like the US and UK as leading markets for wound care.’ says Olaf Ohm CEO Commercial … read more

with a Remote Patient-Facing Wound Care Smartphone Application
BACKGROUND Wounds affect millions of people world-wide, with care being costly and difficult to deliver remotely. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic highlights the urgent need for telehealth solutions to play a larger role as part of remote care strategies for patient monitoring and care. We describe our findings on the use of a patient-facing wound care app (Swift Patient Connect App, Swift Medical, Canada) as an innovative solution in remote wound assessment and management of a diabetic patient’s wound. CASE REPORT In February 2020, a 57-year-old man with type I diabetes and peripheral arterial disease presented with osteomyelitis in the left foot at the fifth metatarsal, arising from a chronic ulcer … read more

a German Aerospace Center study centers on bioprinting—using viable cells and biological molecules to print tissue structures. The German Aerospace Center study Bioprint FirstAid demonstrates a portable, handheld bioprinter that uses a patient’s own skin cells to create a tissue-forming patch to cover a wound and accelerate the healing process. On future missions to the Moon and Mars, bioprinting such customized patches could help address changes in wound healing that can occur in space and complicate treatment. Personalized healing patches also have potential benefits on Earth, providing safer and more flexible treatment anywhere needed … read more

Related:
The 3D bioprinting process in the Bioprint FirstAid Handheld Bioprinter

In a phase II study, EscharEx demonstrated safe and effective debridement of diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers.
A phase II pharmacology study has found positive initial data of EscharEx, a bioactive therapy for rapid debridement in chronic and hard-to-heal wounds, Israeli biopharmaceutical company MediWound announced on Monday … The US-based study, which is ongoing, examined the treatment of seven patients with either diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) or venous leg ulcers (VLUs) … read more

Wounds are described as damage to living tissue that disrupts its normal anatomical structure and function. They develop as a result of tissue damage caused by physical, chemical, thermal, microbiological, or immunological factors … The damage can compromise the skin’s epithelial surface and spread into the surrounding tissues, disturbing other systems such as ligaments, muscles, and nerves … Chronic wounds develop when wounds fail to heal properly and claim the lives of countless people around the world … read more

and Foot Ulcers in Asian Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is an efficient tool for objectively documenting the presence of lower-extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The predictive factors of cardiovascular events and diabetic foot ulcer were not clear from the ABI examination in Taiwanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

METHODS: We enrolled 482 patients with type 2 DM who regularly visited the outpatient department of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and received ABI as well as brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity … read more

Therapy Facilitates Ulcer Wound Healing of Superficial Malignant Tumors
Malignant tumors (cancer cells) are metastatic and invasive, and cancer cells can spread throughout the body through hematogenous, lymphatic and implantation metastases. Clinically, the most common tumor metastasis sites are lung, liver, brain, bone, etc. Some patients will have metastasis on the body surface, while in some cases, the tumor directly spreads or invades the body surface.1 The appearance of superficial malignant tumor usually indicates that the tumor is in the middle and late stage. However, many patients seek medical treatment only after the superficial tumor has grown, ruptured, and become infected. The ulceration of superficial malignant tumors can lead to wound bleeding, exudation, pain, infection, and scar hyperplasia, which makes the wound unhealed for a long time, greatly reducing the quality of life of patients.2 At present, surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the mainstays of treatment for superficial malignant tumors.3 Clinically, such patients are required to maintain local dryness of the wound, but frequent dressing changes and large surgical wound make it difficult to keep the wound dry; Moreover, chemotherapy is easy to cause a large amount of exudate in the wound to be in a moist state, coupled with the skin damage aggravation resulted from radiotherapy, leading to the susceptible to wound bleeding and infection and consequently delayed wound healing … read more

CASE

• 22-year-old male with paraplegia following a fall from a balcony presented with large presacral and buttock pressure injuries that continued to increase in size since last visit >3 months prior. Click here for photo.
• Although the ulcers were large with areas of increased depth, there were minimal clinical signs of bioburden.
• A fluorescence scan revealed red fluorescence indicative of significant bioburden that could not be removed with cleansing or debridement.
• A point-of-care fluorescence scan (MolecuLight i:X) revealed a pattern of scattered red fluorescence (white arrows) indicating elevated bacterial burden (>104 CFU/g) extending beyond … read more

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 … read more

This document builds on the Best Practice Statement: Holistic Management of Venous Leg Ulcers to address complexities in the management of venous leg ulcers.

The aim of this document is to help ensure consistent clinical practices in relation to the assessment and management of people with VLUs who are outside the scope of the leg ulcer treatment pathway developed by Atkin and Tickle (2016). It will provide guidance based on relevant evidence and the experiences and opinions of clinicians, with a focus on practical, holistic and patient-centred strategies … read more

Anne S. Meyer, an associate professor of biology at the University of Rochester, and her collaborators at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands recently developed a 3D printing technique to engineer and study biofilms—three-dimensional communities of microorganisms, such as bacteria, that adhere to surfaces. The research provides important information for creating synthetic materials and in developing drugs to fight the negative effects of biofilms … read more

The rise in the occurrence of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cancer throughout the world is driving expansion of the global anti-biofilm wound dressing market. Non-communicable illnesses are becoming more prevalent due to various factors such as smoking, alcohol usage, antibiotic resistance, and unhealthy and sedentary lifestyles.

Healthcare facilities, such as hospitals, have been overburdened as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic … read more

At the 2021 SAWC Fall, this reimbursement consultant/educator/author was honored to provide a main session reimbursement presentation, as well as a 3-hour interactive reimbursement post-conference workshop. The attendees at both venues were very attentive and asked many excellent questions. On the plane ride home, this author reflected on the questions that were asked at both sessions and came to the conclusion that many wound/ulcer management professionals either 1) have not implemented a process for monitoring and reviewing pertinent payers’ coverage policies or 2) have not incorporated these important “playbook guidelines” into their wound/ulcer management assessments, care plans, coding selections (diagnosis, evaluation & management, procedure, and product), and documentation … read more

Human knowledge is growing exponentially. This explosion is clearly evident in the field of Medicine. We hear almost daily about advances in cardiovascular and oncologic treatments. Medicine appears to be on the verge of extending human life well beyond 100 years. Fortunately, Wound Care physicians and their patients are also reaping the benefits of this rapid knowledge advancement. In the last decade, key elements in the body’s cellular healing processes have been elucidated. A major thrust has been in the development of human tissue therapies … read more

Acral lentiginous melanoma only accounts for only two to 10 percent of all reported melanoma types.1 Although the term “lentiginous” often refers to the typical dark coloration of the pathology, the dark coloration is not always a clinical finding, as multiple studies report amelanotic lesions, as well.2,3,4 Therefore, it is pertinent for every practitioner to give due diligence to any suspicious lesion and to know the key findings that may help differentiate a serious lesion from one that is more benign … read more

Soft K-Biopsy® – SFT-1000

SoftBiopsy® is a sterile single-use brush-curette is designed to be both minimally invasive and clinically effective for tissue sampling. The plastic applicator tip is coated with Kylon®, a patented medical fabric which dislodges and collects wound base tissue post-debridement, efficiently and effectively.

The SoftBiopsy® is designed with a trumpet shaped brush tip to easily press into the wound base surface and remove and trap a biopsy sample for anatomic pathology as curettings (tangential biopsy sample). When used post-debridement, it is optimal for molecular (PCR) or microbiological culture.

Organism ID Sampling Method

Once the biopsy is obtained, tissue samples for analysis are easily collected in the KYLON® hook tapered tip head and snapped off and placed into the vial to preserve tissue for organism (culture, PCR) or anatomic pathology lab analysis.

Request that your pathology lab that performs wound related tests contact us to become a Kylon® device “Center of Excellence”.

Brochure

Benefits:

• Fabric pad on tapered applicator tip is designed for visible surface wounds that are visible on the body surface
• Versatile use, Ergonomic, and minimally invasive design facilitates user tactile control for targeting and guiding the brushing, sweeping and rotational movements – modulating tactile pressure and method allows for tissue. removal and trapping using a pressure-twisting motion of the wound surface
• Kylon® medical fabric hooks gently, yet substantially obtain abundant tissue samples that are trapped in the hook array, snapped free from the handle, and transported for laboratory analysis
• Designed for compassionate patient experience and compliance

Clinical Scenarios: (Refer to Instructions for Use)

The SoftBiopsy® is indicated for tangential biopsy of wounds on visual surfaces in order to obtain a sterile biopsy sample. Once the tissue filled tip is detached and placed in a vial, it is transported for histological analyses and further laboratory evaluation regarding infection or other pathology

Contraindications: 

SoftBiopsy® is contraindicated for use with patients with known bleeding disorders or those on anticoagulant therapy, patients with an acute wound infection or condition that is not amenable to biopsy, patients with a known allergy to nylon or acrylic plastic, or patients who are pregnant or suspected to be pregnant when a wound biopsy would not be indicated

Warnings and Precautions: 

Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician or other licensed practitioner.

Storage Requirements: 

Consult manufacturer on special storage requirements outside of normal room temperatures.

How Supplied/Sizing: 

Box of 25 minimum order

Recommended Use: 

• Burns
• Chronic Wounds
• Diabetic Foot
• Graft Bed Preparation
• Non/Minimally Exudating Wounds
• Palliative Wounds
• Pressure Ulcers
• Non-Eschar/Solid/Fibrotic Wounds
• Sloughy Wounds
• Surgical Wounds
• Venous Ulcers

Mode of Use/Application:

See manufacturer’s website for detailed instructions for use (IFU)

Clinically Tested: 

Latex-friendly

Product features: 

• Single Use
• Disposable
• Instrument
• Sterile

Other features: 

• Educational Material Available
• Free Samples/Trials Available
• Published Clinical Study Available

Manufacturer: Histologics LLC – www.histologicswc.com

Histologics LLC’s primary objective is to advance a compassionate approach to debridement and wound biopsy sampling with devices using Kylon®, a medical fabric enabling biopsy with tissue capture, or frictional tissue cleaning, and debridement.

Website: 

www.histologicswc.com

Email: 

support@histologicswc.com

Phone: 

(888) 235-2275

Toll-free: 

(888) 235-2275

Fax: 

(888) 738-9757

In the summer of 2020, an 82-year-old male presented to the emergency department to evaluate right foot pain and swelling over the past week. He saw his primary care physician earlier in the morning, who referred him for more emergent evaluation. He states he fell at home one week ago, injuring his right foot. This initially resulted in minimal pain, but over one week, the pain and swelling continued to worsen. He notes that he had no open wounds or active bleeding at the time of the initial injury. However, over that week, in addition to the escalating pain and swelling, he developed a bleeding ulcer on the dorsal aspect of the right foot. He could stand and ambulate … read more

 
The WHS Communications Committee is pleased to launch the WRR Fireside Chat video series to feature groundbreaking research in Wound Repair and Regeneration (WRR).

Each video Drs. Mitch Sanders, PhD and Kyle Quinn, PhD will feature a recent article in WRR.

Impact of repeated remote ischemic conditioning on diabetic foot ulcers: A proof-of-concept study
Author: Matthew Regulski, DPM

 View Article

In all fields of medicine, technology is changing and improving how we treat our patients. Wound care is no exception. From improved charting with electronic medical records to new treatment options to expanding access with the use of telemedicine, in wound care offices, technology plays an increasing role in our day to day interactions with patients.

The majority of physicians use an electronic medical record (EMR) for documentation, and in wound care, the way we use EMR’s to document is changing. New imaging technologies improve the accuracy of documentation and facilitate the process. For example, many wound centers still measure wounds with a ruler to document the length x width x depth and describe the type of tissue present in the wound. This opens up the possibility of user error, which may ultimately affect the way the wound is treated and the healing outcome overall. With newer imaging systems like the one from Tissue Analytics, the provider can picture, measure, and analyze the wound in one step, allowing for faster and more accurate documentation … read more

The podiatric surgeon frequently utilizes partial ray amputations aiming to remove infection while preserving bipedal ambulatory status and preventing further morbidity or mortality. An estimated 50 to 70 percent of lower extremity amputations take place due to diabetic complications, most commonly diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) formed in the setting of peripheral neuropathy. Patients with diabetes often face additional comorbidities, including peripheral vascular disease and a diminished immune response, both of which increase the risk for ulcer development and complicate healing potential. Although amputation is an effective method of eradicating osseous infection, removing pedal anatomy will alter normal biomechanics and increase pressure distribution to surrounding structures. Furthermore, amputation of pedal structures involved in the gait cycle will require increased metabolic expenditure during ambulation. One hypothesis … read more

Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is an effective way to promote wound healing. However, its mechanisms have not been investigated thoroughly. Growing evidence suggests that oxidative stress and Raftlin levels play important roles in wound healing. However, whether NPWT promotes wound healing through this mechanism remains unclear.
Purpose: Our study focuses on the different levels of oxidative stress and antioxidant response between wounds treated by NPWT and routine dressing change. The objective of this study was to measure the differences in Raftlin levels between the two groups, which is a new biomarker related to wound healing … read more

This module aims to make clinicians aware of:

• The importance of skin health and what makes it vulnerable to damage.
• The damage that can occur when using medical adhesives and improper removal techniques.
• The impact that MARSIs (medical adhesive-related skin injuries) can have on patients.
• Ways to reduce the risk of MARSIs by providing appropriate treatment for at-risk patients groups.

… read more

Canadian Best Practice Recommendations for Nurses Developed by Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada (NSWOCC)
Debridement is described in the literature as having a high level of clinical risk and may result in patient harm when performed by untrained nurses. As a result, specialized knowledge, skills, and competencies are required to initiate, direct, and perform safe and effective debridement. This executive summary provides an overview of Debridement: Canadian Best Practice Recommendations for Nurses from the Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada (NSWOCC). The primary objective of these recommendations is to positively influence patient outcomes and enhance safety. The 12 recommendations place the safety of the patient and nurse at the forefront and highlight the educational, competency, certification, preceptor/mentorship, and legal requirements for nurses to initiate, direct, and perform all methods of debridement. We designed these recommendations to be circulated and implemented widely by … read more

Diabetes is the leading cause of non-traumatic amputations in the lower extremity.1 Around 15 percent of all patients with diabetes will develop a lower extremity ulceration, with these patients being 17 to 40 times more likely to require an amputation.1 Unfortunately for most, the decision to amputate is not always clear cut and the determination of where to make a definitive amputation is not always as it seems on plain films or advanced imaging, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT). There are several factors to consider when performing limb salvage procedures for these patients with diabetes … read more

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and APMA’s Communications Committee is launching a new public education campaign designed to reach one of our most at-risk patient populations: Hispanic males. The campaign, “Es Hora,” offers a wealth of educational materials for you to use in your practice.

This content is available to APMA members only. If you are a member, please log in to see the full content … read more

Take the first few steps to coding and billing by joining us for a comprehensive workshop covering the fundamentals of coding and billing for foot and ankle surgeons. Learn the foundation of the coding and billing process from expert colleagues before taking the ACFAS Coding and Billing for the Foot and Ankle Surgeon course. This course is for residents, fellows, new practitioners, office staff of foot and ankle surgeons or anyone who wants to learn more of the basic coding and billing terminology and process. Plus, if you’re a resident and attending Residents Day in the morning the day of the event, this course is a great next step to learning more about coding and billing for your future practice and can be bundled in your pricing … read more

Author: Bill Richlen PT, WCC, DWC

My 25 years in the wound care field has been an incredible journey. Over the years I have been witness to better understanding of wound healing, better research and improved products and technology that has changed the way wounds are managed. At the same time, I regularly hear my students and colleagues share some of the practices being implemented today, along with many myths still being perpetuated, and it makes me wonder “what happened to the basics?”. I once learned from a colleague and now include it my teaching that there are 2 fundamentals to heal all wounds: 1) healthy patient; and 2) healthy wound. As long as those fundamentals are achieved, a wound is likely going to heal despite what you do it … read more

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

Chronic wounds are deep and difficult to repair. Often, the top of the injury heals before the bottom, so the wound collapses in on itself. Over time, this can result in scar tissue and reduced skin function … The technique is the first of its kind to simulate three layers of skin: the hypodermis, or fatty layer, the dermis, and the epidermis … “You effectively have three different cell types. They all grow at different speeds,” said author Alan Smith. “If you try to produce tri-layered structures … read more

Save MolecuLight i:X fluorescence wound images and measurements in Epic
Toronto, CANADA – (August 12, 2020) MolecuLight Inc., the leader in point-of-care fluorescence imaging for real-time detection of bacteria in wounds, announces the availability of its MolecuLight i:X® platform on the Epic App Orchard Marketplace and the integration of its platform with Epic’s leading EMR (electronic medical record) platform.

Users who use Epic for the treatment of wounds can upload standard and fluorescence images, and measurements captured with the MolecuLight i:X device at the point-of-care to the patient’s record. The integrated platforms allow clinicians to optimize their workflow and document their patients’ wounds digitally. The MolecuLight i:X application – iX Imaging – is available on the App Orchard.

“We are proud to announce the inclusion of our MolecuLight i:X platform in the Epic App Orchard Marketplace to allow customers to generate and access documentation of patients’ wounds”, says Anil Amlani, MolecuLight’s CEO. “The MolecuLight i:X is the only point-of-care device enabling clinicians to capture wound images showing clinically significant bacteria, information that improves clinical decision making to ensure the fastest path to healing. The integration of this additional information into existing documentation protocols will provide clinicians with a more complete wound dataset.” … read more

The NHS’s defence organisation, NHS Resolution, are reviewing past medical negligence claims against the NHS by patients with diabetes who suffered lower limb complications. Most of these cases relate to patients with non-healing foot ulcers, who then needed major lower limb amputations. The aim of the review is to identify and report on the themes which are common in these cases to help the NHS learn from its mistakes. NHS Resolution hope that by raising awareness of the risks and need for consistent, correct treatment of diabetes-related lower limb problems, both the number of amputations and the cost to the NHS can be reduced. The key message of the review will be that lower limb amputations are often preventable, but this requires NHS organisations to work together to improve care for these patients. The review will be published within the next few months … read more

AIMS: Deep surgical site infection (SSI) is common after lower limb fracture. We compared the diagnosis of deep SSI using alternative methods of data collection and examined the agreement of clinical photography and in-person clinical assessment by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria after lower limb fracture surgery … read more

Researchers from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences report replicating a crucial component of our blood may aid wound healing … The findings are published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials in a paper titled, “3D Printed Scaffolds Incorporated with Platelet-Rich Plasma Show Enhanced Angiogenic Potential while not Inducing Fibrosis,” and led by researchers at the Tissue Engineering Research Group (TERG) and SFI AMBER Centre based at RCSI’s department of anatomy and regenerative medicine … read more

Staffing was a challenge in skilled nursing care prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and like all segments of health care, the problem has only worsened for SNFs since March 2020. But new figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics are nevertheless a shock to the system … Since the start of the pandemic, the industry lost a startling 221,000 jobs — or 14% of its workforce — from March 2020 to October 2021. This is a significantly greater loss than any other health care segment, well ahead of the 8.2% drop in assisted living staff … read more

Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–ZZ Biotech, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing the experimental drug 3K3A-APC for some of the biggest unmet needs in stroke, neurodegenerative disease and chronic wound healing, today announced that the first patients have been dosed in a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating 3K3A-APC for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The study is being conducted at Macquarie University, in Sydney, Australia, and seeks to investigate whether 3K3A-APC is safe and potentially effective in patients with ALS. The Firies Climb for Motor Neurone Disease provided an AU$1 million donation to support this clinical trial … The Phase 2 open label trial (NCT05039268) will enroll a total of 16 patients with ALS into two dose cohorts. The primary study outcomes are to ensure the safety and tolerability of 3K3A-APC in ALS patients and to determine whether 3K3A-APC is able to reduce the pathological changes that are thought to cause ALS. The study will evaluate biomarkers of microglial and monocyte activation and should provide evidence as to whether microglial activation is a major pathogenic contributor to ALS … read more

SINGAPORE – Researchers in Singapore have developed a smart bandage to enable patients to have chronic wounds monitored remotely via an app on a mobile device, potentially saving them visits to the doctor … A research team at the National University of Singapore has created a wearable sensor attached to a transparent bandage to track progress in healing, using information like temperature, bacteria type, and levels of pH and inflammation … “Traditionally when someone has a wound or ulcer, if it’s infected, the only way to examine it is through looking at the wound itself, through visual inspection … read more

A trifling paper cut is a site of frenzied activity. Within it, a squad of epidermal stem cells briskly regenerate to patch up the wound. A closer inspection of this war-torn swath of epidermis will reveal that while some of the stem cells are native to the area, others are newcomers—former hair-producing stem cells, that—upon sensing nearby injury—migrated from the hair follicle to the wound bed, where they transformed to resemble indigenous epidermal stem cells … read more

A novel, antibiotic-free strategy for fighting antimicrobial-resistant bacteria using cold plasma ionized gas to activate key molecules has shown early efficacy in eradicating bacteria commonly found in chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers. The gas also killed the SARS-CoV-2 virus on surfaces … read more

BACKGROUND Wounds and their management are important in the practice of surgery. Super oxidised solution is a recent concept in wound management. It is an aqueous solution which is electrochemically processed which is non-toxic, non-irrigating and is having a neutral pH. Povidone iodine is the most common topical wound care product used in surgical practice. Both are affordable solutions for the patients. There are very few studies comparing the efficacy. In this study, we wanted to compare the efficacy of super oxidised solution and povidone iodine in the management of lower limb ulcers. METHODS A prospective study was conducted on 100 patients who were randomized into two groups. Group A was treated with super oxidized solution and Group B were treated with povidone iodine. Assessments of wounds were done on various days (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21). Various outcomes of data were analysed using statistical analysis. RESULTS The average percentage reduction in wound size on day 21 was 47 % in Group A compared to 24 % in Group B. Early appearance of granulation tissue, disinfection, decrease in wound size, and less duration of hospital stay was achieved in Group A. CONCLUSIONS The results were more favourable towards super oxidised solution than povidone iodine. In this comparative study, super oxidized solution had faster efficacy and wound healing … read more

Erythema: A result of injury or irritation that causes dilation of blood capillaries and manifests as patchy reddening of the skin. Occurs after a patient/resident is exposed to unrelieved pressure for 2 hours. It can be identified as a deep, localized redness; can also be blue or purple.

Hyperemia: The condition of having excess blood in vessels that supply an organ or area of the body. Occurs after patient/resident is exposed to 30 minutes of unrelieved pressure. It can be identified as a localized, non-blanchable redness.

Perfusion: The passage of blood through arteries and capillaries into tissues or organs. When insufficient, there is an increased chance that the patient may have complications.

… more

Beyond being a great source for news, Wound Care Weekly is also an effective search engine for wound care related content. Google searching will reflect results targeted toward the general public where our search results will be derived from thousands of articles written almost exclusively for medical professionals.

Use italics for more focused search results “foot ulcer”

It is a staple of science fiction to mock sutures as outdated. The technique has, after all, been in use for at least 5,000 years. Surely medicine should have advanced since ancient Egypt. Professor Hossam Haick from the Wolfson Department of Chemical Engineering at the Technion has finally turned science fiction into reality. His lab succeeded in creating a smart sutureless dressing that binds the wound together, wards off infection … read more

Biomedical engineering professor Kyle Quinn has received a four-year, $1.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop non-invasive, real-time “optical biopsies” of chronic skin wounds.

The goal of Quinn and researchers in his lab is to provide digital histopathology images — the microscopic examination of tissue to study the manifestation and progression of disease — and other quantitative information without the need for an invasive biopsy, tissue processing and staining with histology dyes … read more

People with diabetes and a history of foot ulcer are more likely to die than undergo amputation during 6 years of follow-up, a potential measure of effectiveness of diabetes care, registry data from Scotland show.

In an analysis of real-world data comparing people with diabetes with and without foot ulcer, researchers also found amputation or death occurred for approximately one in two of those with a prior foot ulcer … read more

There is growing concern regarding the treatment of infection, caused by the rise of antimicrobial resistance. This position document looks at current treatment approaches to identifying and treating biofilm in wounds, focusing on the mechanism of action and role of non-medicated wound dressings (NMWDs) within antimicrobial stewardship practices and evidence that supports their effectiveness … read more

The T.I.M.E. Clinical Decision Support Tool
This document seeks to help clinicians support those who do not have specialist wound training to accurately assess patients and their wounds and arrive at a broad-based, systematic rationale that will ultimately help reduce variations in clinical decision-making. The T.I.M.E. Clinical Decision Support Tool provides a structured approach to wound bed preparation … read more

Using Sensor Technology in Nursing Homes: A Quality Improvement ProgramA Quality Improvement Program
Turning nursing home residents every 2 hours has been a long-held standard for pressure injury (PrI) prevention in individuals with mobility impairments although evidence to substantiate this practice is limited. New guidelines recommend personalizing turning schedules to support person-centered care but lack specific recommendations about which turning frequencies are appropriate for various risk levels. PURPOSE: This quality improvement program aimed to determine the feasibility and outcomes of using individualized turn schedules for newly admitted nursing home residents. METHODS: An expert panel of wound clinicians developed, tested, and implemented a turn frequency tool that allowed staff in 2 nursing homes to select a turning schedule of 1, 2, 3, or 4 hours based on resident risk factors. Turning schedules were operationalized using a wearable sensor-based visual cueing technology that alerted staff to resident repositioning needs. Nonparticipating resident data were collected for comparison of PrI incidence. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all covariates. Significance of differences tests were performed as … read more

Diabetes foot ulcers are a leading cause of death in diabetic individuals. There are very few medicines and treatments that have received regulatory clearance for this indication, and numerous compounds from various pharmacological classes are now in various stages of clinical studies for diabetic foot ulcers treatment. Multiple risk factors contribute to diabetic foot ulcers, including neuropathy, peripheral artery disease, infection, gender, cigarette smoking, and age. The present difficulties in diabetic foot ulcers treatment are related to bacterial resistance to currently utilized antibiotics. Inhibition of the quorum sensing (QS) system and targeting matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9) are promising. This study focuses on the difficulties of existing treatment, current treatment technique, and novel pharmacological targets for diabetic foot ulcer. The electronic data base search diabetic for literature on foot ulcers treatment was carried out using Science Direct, PubMed, Google-Scholar, Springer Link, Scopus, and Wiley up to 2021. Becaplermin, a medication that targets MMP-9, glyceryl trinitrate, which inhibits the bacterial quorum sensing system, probiotic therapy, and nano technological solutions are just a few of the novel pharmaceuticals being developed for diabetic foot ulcers … read more

New research being presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), held online this year (27 Sept-1 Oct), reveals how Belgium’s efforts to maintain a diabetic foot care program during the COVID-19 pandemic can offer valuable lessons to the rest of the world … “Thanks to the great efforts of diabetic foot clinics, continued availability of diabetic foot ulcer services during lockdown, although in a limited capacity, were really helpful, and may be the reason why we didn’t see late presentation and the impact on the severity of ulcers was limited to slightly larger wounds”, says lead author Dr. An-Sofie Vanherwegen from Sciensano … 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

A new formulation developed by University of South Australia scientists to treat antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections in diabetic foot ulcers could also be used to kill the COVID-19 virus circulating in air conditioning systems … Enhancing cold plasma ionized gas with peracetic acid eradicates bacteria in wounds and substantially reduces SARS-CoV-2 viral loads, Australian and UK scientists claim in a paper published in Applied Physics Letters … read more

This is fairly complex issue. There are many factors in responding to your question. Really, it’s multi-factor issue. Part of the challenge is that the regulatory agency, FDA, has a very clear, and at the same time, very narrow definition of wound healing. That is 100% wound closure with no drainage or no need for any dressing … read more

This webinar, presented by Matt Berezo, Joshua Budman, Abbey Cooper, and Cathy Thomas Hess will discuss how wound care-specific analytics can impact a practice’s workflow. Specifically, the presenters will discuss several clinical analytics models, how they are validated, and how clinicians can use them to improve their clinical and operational outcomes … register

As 2021 comes to a close, it marks 2 full years that the US, Canada, and other parts of the world have endured the effects of COVID-19 on our personal and professional lives. The pandemic continues to force our hands in so many ways that were unimaginable just a short time ago and has had innumerable unforeseen consequences for patients and providers. In this issue, articles on provider- and patient-centered concerns speak to the social, psychological, and physical components that determine quality-of-life scores and impact activities of daily living … read more

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can reduce thermal wound complications, length of stay in hospitals due to thermal burns, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) mRNA gene expression, and ICAM-1 serum level, a case-control study published in Annals of Medicine and Surgery concludes.

“The damaging effects of thermal burns need to be managed holistically in order to create a suitable environment for wound healing,” study author Mendy Hatibie Oley (University Sam Ratulangi; R D Kandou Hospital; Hyperbaric Centre Siloam Hospital; all Manado, Indonesia) et al write … read more

Kicking off any new year allows us to pause and reflect on the previous year’s actions and results. When you work within wound care, perhaps your first action this year was to review your schedule of patients to ensure they were provided the proper time to be seen, or review your staffing matrix to ensure you are you are meeting the needs of the scheduled patients, or dig into your supply cabinets to ensure inventory is abundant. Each action is vital to maintain your business and is interconnected to your unique process … read more

How reliable are our screening tools for peripheral arterial disease (PAD)? A recently published meta-analysis suggests that while our current diagnostic testing measures are promising, one should be wary of relying upon any one tool in isolation in patients with diabetes.

In their 2020 study in the Journal of Vascular Surgery, Normahani and coworkers reviewed and analyzed studies to evaluate the accuracy of bedside testing for PAD in patients with diabetes.1 In examining the diagnostic accuracy of the ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI), the toe brachial pressure index (TBPI) and the tibial waveform assessment, these authors reviewed 11 studies (including a total of 1,543 limbs) … read more

In this podcast, Laura Swoboda, DNP, APNP, FNP-C, CWOCN-AP, shares expert knowledge on the human microbiome and its influences on the immune response, inflammation, and metabolism, which can impact wound healing … listen

Chronic wound care is challenging for the entire healthcare ecosystem, from clinicians to patients, and COVID-19 has only exacerbated those challenges. Patients are delaying primary care provider and wound clinician visits for ongoing guidance and therapy to reduce possible exposure to the virus. This is understandable, as many chronic wound patients are in the high-risk category if they become ill with COVID-19.1 They are also putting off elective surgeries, annual physicals, and basic preventive care, which can negatively affect long-term outcomes. A survey of wound care clinicians in March 2021 reported a decrease in patient visits from pre-pandemic numbers, and 57% of respondents stated that “wound severity has either increased or significantly increased since the start of the pandemic.”2 At the same time, the pandemic has accelerated patient-driven care and increased usage of interactive devices for care administered at home, rapidly increasing the use of telemedicine across demographics … read more

APO-2 (Aposec) is a secretome-based trial preparation derived from stressed peripheral blood mononuclear cells. APO-2 was shown to be safe and effective in a multinational Phase I study in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (non-healing foot ulcers). The Data Safety Monitoring Board has therefore recommended continuation into a Phase II clinical trial. This represents a major success for the wound healing preparation developed at MedUni Vienna … read more

But there is legislation moving through Congress that seeks funding to improve public awareness and early detection.

Vascular surgen Dr. Lee Kirksey of the Cleveland Clinic said there is no disease that ravages the body quite like diabetes. The complications can be serious: heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and the most worrisome and drastic of all, limb loss.

“When I talk to diabetics, their greatest fear and they know that they can have a heart attack or stroke, their greatest fear is having to have an amputation,” said Dr. Kirksey.

According to Dr. Kirksey, as many as 25% of patients with diabetes at some point will develop a foot ulcer and if left untreated, that ulcer can lead to infection and amputation … read more

Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are the most common causes of leg ulcers due to venous insufficiency. Most cases persist for more than 6 weeks, referred to as chronic VLUs. These chronic ulcers have been described as a manifestation of Klinefelter syndrome (KS). Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is a second-generation platelet concentrate, which contains growth factors required for chronic wound healing. The use of PRF in the management of VLUs in KS has not been reported, to the best of our knowledge. We report a case of chronic VLU associated with KS in a 41-year-old man treated with PRF. Dermatological examination showed a tender, shallow, irregular ulcer partly covered with hard, yellow necrotic tissue on the anterior side of the lower-left leg and hyperpigmented indurated skin on both lower legs. The diagnosis of venous ulcer was established based on clinical manifestation and supported by the result of Doppler ultrasound showed chronic venous insufficiency. Histopathological examination, which showed epidermal acanthosis … read more

A medical doctor says the proportion of diabetes cases that developed complications may have risen by roughly 15 to 20 per cent.
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 — Late detection and interruptions to clinic visits for diabetic treatments during the Covid-19 pandemic have led to complications in some patients … Many had their appointments deferred as the government imposed a nationwide lockdown in March last year … “Because of the first movement control order (MCO 1.0), there is a higher chance for us to see patients who are coming in, not only with diabetic foot ulcers, but some may have rot their toes and limbs,” the doctor said … read more

Determining Wound Etiology:
Predominant pain pattern, ulcer location, ulcer appearance, type and amount of wound exudate, and vascular and sensorimotor assessment are some key factors used to determine the primary etiology of lower extremity ulcers.1

Etiology Guides Treatment:
Certain patients will have a clear presentation of wound etiology, whereas others may present with a mixed wound appearance. The certified wound specialist will complete a thorough history and physical assessment when determining wound etiology. From there, an individualized plan of care will be created, implemented, and continuously evaluated. For example … read more

Q: What resources do you use and/or recommend for physicians to educate themselves on health inequities, especially in the field of wound care?
A:
Babajide Ogunlana, DPM, FACFAS, encourages physician to learn first-hand by engaging in community outreach-type programs that seek to improve access to care.

“The field of wound care has a lot of cost implications that tend to tilt the services offered and/or available to the patient in the direction of who can afford it or whose insurance company … read more

KUWAIT: Dasman Diabetes Institute (DDI), a leading diabetes research Institute established by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, held recently its specialized three-day course on the ‘Prevention and Management of Diabetic Foot Complications’.

This program was held at the Institute and attended by healthcare professionals. Trainees learned to assess and treat the feet in people with diabetes using evidence-based assessment and treatment methods, aimed at reduction of diabetic foot ulceration and amputation. This program was organized and delivered by Kay Scarsbrook Khan, Chief Podiatrist and Dr Abdullah Al-Ajmi … read more

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a university hospital wound care unit in western Turkey with 134 patients. The data were collected via personal information form, Barthel Index for activities of daily living, visual analog scale, and Short Form-12 questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation were used for data analysis … 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

A study published in the Advances in Skin & Wound Care Journal examined wound care information to help educate about care for the specific physiology of newborns.

A group of researchers aimed to help physicians differentiate the use of hydrocolloids, hydrogels, foam dressings, and barrier creams in the neonatal population and identify issues related to the use of solvents, alginates, collagen dressings, and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in neonates, according to an article in the Advances in Skin & Wound Care journal.1

PubMed, Google Scholar, and other journals/textbooks were used to help collect data on wound healing in newborn patients. With this data, the authors of the study aimed to discuss what is already known about wound milieu in premature and full-term neonates, including the unique challenges pediatric clinicians face, the therapies that have proven effective, and the therapies … read more

A study investigated the clinical and economic burdens of wound care in the Tropics during a 5-year institutional review.

In an article published in the International Wound Journal, researchers evaluated the clinical and economic burden of wound care in the Tropics during a 5-year institutional population health review that occurred from 2013 to 2017.1

The 55,583 wounds included in the study were classified into different subtypes: neuro-ischaemic ulcers (NIUs), venous leg ulcers (VLUs), pressure injuries (PIs), and surgical site infections (SSIs). There were 41,461 patients admitted during that time with a 95.1% increase in wound episodes per 1000 inpatient admissions during this period (142 and 277 wound episodes per 1000 inpatient admissions in 2013 and 2017, respectively).

In 2017, the average amount of time a patient had to stay in the hospital for wound care were 17.7 … read more

Do you remember that cartoon from the 1960s (and later reproduced in the 1980s), The Jetsons? It was about a futuristic family that had all kinds of amazing robot helpers and automatic appliances. Rosie the Robot was the wonderbot that would whisk about the house, frantically preforming housekeeping duties, monitoring the security of the home, and generally making sure that everything was online and functioning. Do you ever feel like this as a clinician? Rushing about, multitasking, being pulled in what seems like a hundred different directions, all while expected to perform with “Rosie-like” perfect, machine-like efficiency. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have Rosie’s artificial intelligence technology … read more

Related: Pressure Injuries and Disparities in Health Care: Important Terms to Know

In the last 2 years, hospitals and skilled nursing facilities have seen unprecedented surges in admissions attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping across the world. Just in the United States, we saw a high of 116,243 weekly hospital admissions in mid-January of 2021. This dropped to a low of 13, 424 in mid-June of 2021 and then bumped up again to 86,871 in August of 2021.1 With this fluctuation of numbers, along with staffing shortages and burnout, wound care professionals have seen significant overcrowding in many hospitals and facilities. Caregivers and clinicians are stretched thin. They are taking on more patients, who tend to be sicker and with more acute needs on a global scale. These patients tend to be at higher risk of developing a pressure injury … read more

The crystalline clarity with which smartphones can now capture images has been put to another innovative use: monitoring patients who’ve undergone emergency abdominal surgery for surgical-site infections (SSIs) and allowing physicians to diagnose them earlier in the postoperative period before they morph into a much bigger problem.

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, there have been big changes in how care after surgery is delivered,” Kenneth McLean, MBChB, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, observed in a statement.

“Patients and staff have become used to having remote consultations and we’ve shown we can effectively and safely monitor wounds … read more

Here’s a question for you: How long does it take for a pressure injury (PI) to form? Do you think it happens in 30 minutes? 2 hours? 8 hours? The answer is actually all of the above. The time it takes for a PI to develop depends on a number of different factors, which we will discuss here. This blog will describe how a PI forms, some signs that a PI is forming, and how to assess a patient’s skin for a PI. It will then look at some types of intervention and assessment that help in the prevention and treatment of a PI, as well as track its healing or declination … read more

When bacteria make their way into wounds, they literally threaten life and limb—unless they are detected as quickly as possible. A new sensor can nestle in bandages and alert a nearby smartphone when the bacterial population tips over into dangerous territory.

Healthy human skin is covered with bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, which are quick to colonize an open wound. To prevent the bacteria from spreading through the body, which can permanently injure or kill a person, the infected wound may need to be cleaned and treated with antibiotics or—in the most extreme situations—the affected limb may require amputation … read more

A nurse recently shared some of her experiences as a charge nurse in a skilled facility during the COVID-19 pandemic. She worked evenings (3-11:30 pm) at a local facility and was overwhelmed by the high number of patients she was responsible for. She typically worked on a 26-bed floor with just one nurse assistant for the shift. She later transferred to the night shift, where she was the only person on a 16-bed unit for the 8 hours. When asked how she was able to reposition patients as frequently as was recommended, the nurse said that she did “the best I could.” She is, unfortunately, not alone … read more

The FDA accepted a priority review of a supplemental new drug application for setmelanotide (Imcivree), a melanocortin-4 receptor agonist, for the treatment of Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Alström syndrome, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals announced. The FDA assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date of March 16, 2022 … After getting the green light from the FDA, Paracrine announced plans to initiate its pivotal ASCEND trial testing its Celution System for diabetic foot ulcers … read more

ProgenaCare Global, formerly Cell Constructs, has developed innovative products for wound healing that provide excellent outcomes for patients, while advancing the use of renewable materials. The company’s wound care technology, ProgenaMatrix™, incorporates human keratin as a major component of the highly effective and affordable wound therapy.

The all-natural robust human keratin protein option that constitutes this specialized biomaterial offers a completely unique solution to wound care clinicians. The human keratin technology in ProgenaMatrix is hydrated, non-cellular (not tissue-based), non-resorbing and supports the body’s own healing process. The bio-inspired design makes ProgenaMatrix the next generation of advanced wound therapy in the CMS skin substitute category … read more

ATLANTA, November 17, 2021 / PRNewswire / – ProgenaCare Global, formerly Cell Constructs, has developed innovative wound healing products that deliver great patient outcomes while advancing the use of renewable materials. The company’s wound care technology, ProgenaMatrix™, contains human keratin as the main component of highly effective and inexpensive wound therapy.

The all-natural, rugged human keratin protein option that makes up this specialized biomaterial offers surgeons a completely unique solution. The human keratin technology in ProgenaMatrix is ​​hydrated, non-cellular (non-tissue-based), non-resorbing and supports the body’s own healing process. The bio-inspired design makes ProgenaMatrix the next generation of advanced wound therapy in the CMS skin replacement category.

Keratin technology has been in the published literature for over a century with applications in wound healing, drug delivery, tissue engineering, trauma and medical devices … read more

Her small toe was turning purple, and the pain was excruciating. Glory Paschal knew how fast this could spiral. She just had to look around her neighborhood in Watts to see how many residents were missing feet and legs.

She fought for a referral to a podiatrist, but by the time she saw one, it was too late.

On Feb. 10, 2011, doctors at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center had no option but to amputate her left leg below the knee.

This summer, the now 53-year-old Black grandmother was back in the hospital, this time with two infections particularly lethal for a diabetic: severe COVID-19 had her gasping for breath and gangrene was eating away at her remaining foot … read more

U.S. Pivotal Trial in Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Paracrine, Inc. announced today that the FDA has granted full approval of its Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) to conduct a new pivotal trial titled Adipose Derived Regenerative Cells (ADRCs) in the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFUs): A Prospective, Double-blind, Multi-center, Randomized, Parallel-group Study – The “ASCEND Trial.”

The ASCEND Trial is a Pivotal Trial designed to provide a robust data set on the safety and efficacy of ADRCs in the treatment of patients with DFUs. The trial will include up to 291 patients at 25 clinical sites in the U.S. Trial results will be submitted in a Premarket Approval (PMA) application to the FDA to support regulatory approval.

Dr. Robert G. Frykberg, Co-Principal Investigator for The ASCEND Trial and past Foot Care Council Chair of the American Diabetes Association, stated: “Despite recent advancements in wound care and pharmacotherapy techniques, up to one quarter of patients with diabetes will develop diabetic foot ulcers – a leading cause of disability worldwide. The goal of this pivotal study is to compare the use of ADRCs against the current standard of care and determine if ADRCs can improve clinical outcomes in this challenging patient population.” … read more

Soft K-Cot® brush-curette is designed to be both minimally invasive and clinically effective for wound hygiene, debridement, and optional tissue sampling. The nitrile finger cot tip is coated with Kylon®, a patented medical fabric which dislodges and collects wound debris efficiently and effectively.

Histologics LLC’s primary objective is to advance a compassionate approach to debridement and wound sampling with devices using Kylon®, a medical fabric enabling frictional tissue cleaning, and debridement with optional specimen capture.

Benefits:

• Fabric disk on finger cot tip is designed for flat or curved wounds that are visible on the body surface
• Versatile use, Ergonomic, and minimally invasive design facilitates user tactile control for targeting and guiding the brushing, sweeping and rotational movements – modulating tactile pressure and method allows for light brushing away of debris versus pressure twisting motion curettage of the wound surface.
• Kylon® medical fabric hooks gently, yet substantially excavates the wound surface, dislodging debris and necrotic tissue, which can be easily wiped off the wound surface with gauze
• Designed for compassionate patient experience and compliance
• Promotes the efficiency of a debriding procedure
• Abundant tissue samples can be collected, stored and transported for laboratory analysis

Indications:
The Soft K-Cot® is indicated for patients with small to moderate sized (no larger than 6cmx6cm), non-fibrotic surfaces of wounds requiring cleansing or debridement in order to remove non-viable tissue and debris. Debridement may stimulate blood flow to encourage tissue regrowth. It is also indicated for scraping or debriding and then transporting tissue requiring histological analyses for further laboratory evaluation regarding infection or other pathology.

Contraindications:
Soft K-Cot® is contraindicated for use with patients with known bleeding disorders or those on anticoagulant therapy, patients with an acute wound infection or condition that is not amenable to debridement, patients with a known allergy to nylon or acrylic plastic, or patients who are pregnant or suspected to be pregnant when a wound biopsy would not be indicated.

Warnings and Precautions:
Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician or other licensed practitioner.

Storage Requirements:
Consult manufacturer on special storage requirements outside of normal room temperatures.

How Supplied/Sizing:
Box of 25 minimum order

Recommended Use:

• Burns
• Chronic Wounds
• Diabetic Foot
• Graft Bed Preparation
• Non/Minimally Exudating Wounds
• Palliative Wounds
• Pressure Ulcers
• Sloughy Wounds
• Surgical Wounds
• Venous Ulcers

Mode of Use/Application:
See manufacturer’s website for detailed instructions for use (IFU):
Instructions for use

Clinically Tested:
Latex-friendly

Product features:

• Single Use
• Disposable
• Instrument
• Sterile
• Variety of sizes

Other features:

• Educational Material Available
• Free Samples/Trials Available
• Published Clinical Study Available

Free Sample Kit Available on Request to:
support@histologicswc.com

Histologics LLC, 4095 E. LaPalma Ave, St N, Anaheim, CA 92807, (888) 235-2275
www.histologicswc.com
support@histologicswc.com

My colleagues, Barbara Delmore PhD, RN, CWCN, MAPWCA and Jill Cox PhD, RN, APN-c, CWOCN, and I have written a paper,1 available electronically ahead of print, that reviews the skin failure concept, defines related controversies, and proposes a model for its pathogenesis. Like all other organs, skin can fail; however, experts continue to grapple with definitions, causative factors, and manifestations. By defining contributing factors that apply to other organ systems, providers establish skin failure as an entity and thus are able to recognize and address it in practice. This also enables providers to assist regulators by incorporating these pathophysiologic factors into modification of quality measurement criteria. Unifying the concept across the health care continuum … read more

Global Business Leaders magazine features Kent Imaging: Setting A New Global Standard in Advanced Tissue Assessment.

CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA, November 16, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — Kent Imaging Inc., a leading innovator in oxygenation imaging is pleased to report that the company has been named #15 on the list of “The 20 Most Promising Businesses to Watch in 2021” by Global Business Leaders magazine.

Kent Imaging’s flagship product is SnapshotNIR, a handheld and lightweight point-of-care device that can capture tissue oxygenation in superficial tissue with a single click of its camera-like structure. Using multiple wavelengths of near-infrared (NIR) light, SnapshotNIR non-invasively measures relative amounts of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in the microcirculation of tissue where oxygen exchange is happening.

With the innovative SnapshotNIR device, Kent is focused on delivering improved usability to enhance workflow integration … read more

Although silver is highly effective at killing bacteria, it can also be toxic to humans in large amounts. That’s where a new wound dressing is intended to come in, as it only releases its silver payload when infections are present.

Currently being developed at the University of South Australia, the dressing is intended mainly for use on children with burn injuries, as they are particularly at risk of serious infections and sepsis. It’s made up of a topically applied hydrogel that contains silver nanoparticles along with proprietary ingredients which are sensitive to changes in pH and temperature … read more

EATONTOWN, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / November 16, 2021 / American CryoStem Corporation (OTC PINK:CRYO), a clinical stage biotechnology company, global licensor and a pioneer in autologous cellular processing and therapies announced today that it has completed the development of a new standardized wound healing protocol utilizing its tissue based technologies with Advanced Regenerative Associates (Tinton Falls, NJ). The Company’s wound healing technologies rely on exemptions from FDA clinical study and approval for the use of human tissue and cell products (PHS 361 and 21CFR1271.10) and is incorporated into the current standards of care protocols currently in use. The new protocol is focusing on realigning the microenvironment of the treatment area to achieve greater healing support during the treatment period utilizing current standard of care protocols. The initial rollout is fashioned as a study to collect additional information about the wound environment and healing progress. The Company intends to obtain informed consent from each participant for the collection, analysis and potential publication of the assessment data as required under current regulations … read more

BOCA RATON, Fla., Nov. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — CūtisCare, a leading provider of wound care management services to hospitals and physicians, is continuing our fight this month to raise awareness regarding diabetes and the available treatment options to help save limbs and lives. According to the CDC, diabetes currently adversely impacts the lives of approximately 34 million Americans, and that number is continuing to increase each year. About 25% of people with diabetes will develop foot ulcers, and 1% end up with an amputation in their lifetime. However, as many as 85% of potential amputations can be avoided when advanced modalities, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT, are added to a treatment plan.

There is good news on the horizon though. Many of these amputations are preventable. HBOT is one therapy that is showing great promise. Louis Pilati MD, CutisCare’s Medical Advisory Board Member, expounds on the manifold benefits of HBOT for patients with Wagner Grade 3 or higher … read more

Safe and effective – wound healing preparation reaches clinical phase II: APO-2 (Aposec) is a secretome-based trial preparation derived from stressed peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

APO-2 was shown to be safe and effective in a multinational Phase I study in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (non-healing foot ulcers). The Data Safety Monitoring Board has therefore recommended continuation into a Phase II clinical trial. This represents a major success for the wound healing preparation developed at MedUni Vienna. APO-2 contains the secretome … read more

I have on several occasions had the unpleasant duty of telling family, friends and clients about a medical condition that they may be challenged with; heart disease, stroke, HIV, COVID-19, cancer etc. but none of them seem to have the same impact as DIABETES. Many people who have never seen the inside of a church building will break out into uncontrollable “tongues” that will amaze even the Apostles at Pentecost. That is how much diabetes is feared and it can cause havoc if not managed properly.

Diabetes on its own will not kill even if it wipes your bank account dry BUT the organ complications that come with poor management or no management is the killer … read more

Delayed wound healing and the resulting impact to the cost of care impacts both patients and facilities across the healthcare continuum. When it comes to wound care, no one is comfortable choosing a service provider with only a basic understanding of the subject. Thus, a product specialist with a historical legacy of providing effective products will invariably gain market traction due to its reliability. Founded in 1995, Hymed has been a renowned name in the healthcare industry for over two decades, offering safe and efficacious, natural wound care products. The company is the developer of innovative wound care products that utilize collagen (the chief structural protein of the body), hyaluronic acid (HA) and glycosaminogly can chemistry for human and animal use. In addition to wound care, these products find varied applications in joint/tissue support, surgery, eye care, dental, and dermatology, and the cosmetic industry … read more

Africa is set to see diabetes cases more than double to 55 million by 2045, the biggest increase across the globe, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Thursday.

“The COVID-19 pandemic will eventually subside, but Africa is projected in the coming years to experience the highest increase in diabetes globally,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

Twenty-four million people are living with diabetes today in Africa, which is also the region with the “highest number of people who do not know their diagnosis,” the WHO statement said … read more

“Foot selfies” may be a simple solution to keeping tabs on patients at high risk for diabetic foot complications.

Patients with or at risk of foot ulcers are told to check their feet regularly at home, but doing so can be difficult for those who aren’t flexible or who have vision problems. Those who live alone may not be able to ask someone else to check their feet for them. Some use hand mirrors, but those can be difficult to manipulate and don’t offer feedback … read more

A new foot ulcer formulation developed by scientists at the University of South Australia could be used to kill the COVID-19 virus, according to new research.

In a study published in the journal Applied Physics Letters, the team looked at the treatment of antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections, experimenting to find an effective non-antibiotic antimicrobial strategy to combat the infections in diabetic foot ulcers.

The authors found that enhancing cold plasma ionized gas with peracetic acid was “highly effective” at eradicating common wound pathogenic bacteria and at inactivating SARS-Cov-2 … read more

Freudenberg Performance Materials will showcase its multi-layer material compositions of hydrophilic PU foams and hydroactive nonwovens for sustainable woundcare at Compamed in Düsseldorf from November 15-18 2021.

The Eco-Check label endorses particularly sustainable solutions for the design of wound plasters which use bio-based raw materials, allowing biodegradation in an industrial composting setting after the product has been used.

M 1701 for traditional woundcare plasters comprises 100% polylactid acid derived from natural resources and offers good woundcare characteristics, while M 1714 has superior absorption for more challenging wounds and consists of a mix of bio-based fibres. With a smooth wound contact layer, M 1714 has already been evaluated for industrial compostability and conforms with the ISO 13432 standard … read more

BACTERIAL BURDEN IN WOUNDS

High bacterial load contributes to chronicity of wounds and is diagnosed based on assessment of clinical signs and symptoms (CSS) of infection, but these characteristics are poor predictors of bacterial burden. Point-of-care fluorescence imaging (FL) can improve identification of wounds with high bacterial burden (>10⁴ CFU/g). FL detects bacteria, whether planktonic or in biofilm, but does not distinguish between the two. In this study, diagnostic accuracy of FL was compared to CSS during routine wound assessment … read more

PIEZO1, an ion channel mechanosensor found within cells, has been revealed to play a key role in regulating the speed of skin wound healing by researchers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI).

Published today in eLife, the study (“Spatiotemporal dynamics of PIEZO1 localization controls keratinocyte migration during wound healing”) found that in mice lacking the ion channel protein PIEZO1 in keratinocytes, skin wounds heal faster than in mice with increased PIEZO1 function in keratinocytes … read more

The Wound Care unit at Decatur County Memorial Hospital has been selected to participate in a new study on the uses of hyperbaric oxygen treatment in partnership with the Indiana Department of Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The HBOT Pilot Program will study the effect that hyperbaric chamber treatments can have on PTSD and traumatic brain injuries in veterans.

The VA seeks to improve the lives and health of veterans, and they have seen significant anecdotal evidence of the symptoms of PTSD decreasing and traumatic brain injuries improving during hyperbaric therapy … read more

an ion channel mechanosensor found within cells, has been revealed to play a key role in regulating the speed of skin wound healing by researchers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI).

Published today in eLife, the study, titled, “Spatiotemporal dynamics of PIEZO1 localization controls keratinocyte migration during wound healing,” found that in mice lacking the ion channel protein PIEZO1 in keratinocytes, skin wounds heal faster than in mice with increased PIEZO1 function in keratinocytes … read more

with Dyamed Biotech for New Territories and Products in Southeast Asia
Sonoma Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNOA), a global healthcare leader developing and producing stabilized hypochlorous acid (HOCl) products for a wide range of applications, including wound care, eye care, nasal care, oral care, dermatological conditions and disinfectant use, and its long-time partner, Dyamed Biotech Pte Ltd., announce a renewed and expanded long-term partnership for Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand for multiple indications using Sonoma’s patented Microcyn® Technology.

Dyamed Biotech Pte Ltd., one of Sonoma’s first international partners, successfully commercializes Dermacyn® Wound Care, Dermacyn® Scarless for Scar Reduction, and Dermacyn® Ezyma Spray for itch relief associated with atopic dermatitis. Dyamed expects to launch Ocucyn® Eye Care and Oracyn® Oral Care in 2022. The Dermacyn® line of products are widely used at many hospitals throughout Singapore and Malaysia … read more

Healing of Chronic Diabetic Foot Ulcers (OTONAL Trial)
Natrox™ topical oxygen therapy (TOT) (Inotec AMD Ltd, Hertfordshire, UK) employs a small battery-powered “oxygen generator” to concentrate atmospheric oxygen and feeds pure, moist, oxygen through a fine, soft tube to a dressing-like “oxygen distribution system”, which is placed over the wound and is held in place by a conventional dressing. The aim was to determine the effectiveness of Natrox™ for non-healing diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) over a 3-month period.Longitudinal, single-arm, open prospective registry study using 12 weeks of TOT using a 4 week run-in period. 20 patients recruited to OTONAL had chronic DFU greater than 3 months duration or minor amputation sites with less than 50% healing in 4 weeks.There were 13 (65%) males and the mean age was 65.7 (±11.6) years. The mean glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was 6.9 (±1.3) mmol mol-1 and mean wound duration before TOT was 114 (±79.1) days. 18/20 (90.0%) patients had concomitant lower limb revascularization angioplasty for chronic limb threatening ischaemia. The mean size … read more

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, a time to bring attention to this fast-growing, life-threatening epidemic. Currently more than 34 million Americans have diabetes and this number is expected to increase to 54.9 million by 2030. Increases have been attributed to a rise in obesity rates and an aging population, but new research shows that younger people are being diagnosed with the disease. From 2001 to 2017, the number of people under age 20 living with diabetes increased by 45 percent, and the number living with type 2 diabetes grew by 95 percent. This troubling development is expected to further challenge the healthcare system in the coming decades … read more

Skin wounds from ischemia-reperfusion injuries — tissue damage caused by blood returning to tissues after a period of oxygen deprivation — may not heal appropriately in some patients, owing to elusive underlying immunological mechanisms. Scientists from Japan have now succeeded in proposing a means to solve this medical conundrum by understanding the role of interleukin-36 receptor antagonists as they act to inhibit the effects of interleukin-36 cytokines, which could help identify new therapeutic targets for wound healing … read more

Patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are at very high risk of cardiovascular events, but risk factor management is usually suboptimal. This Joint Task Force from the European Atherosclerosis Society and the European Society of Vascular Medicine has updated evidence on the management on dyslipidaemia and thrombotic factors in patients with PAD. Guidelines recommend a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) goal of more than 50% reduction from baseline and <1.4 mmol/L (<55 mg/dL) in PAD patients. As demonstrated by randomized controlled trials, lowering LDL-C not only reduces cardiovascular events but also major adverse limb events (MALE), including amputations, of the order of 25%. Addition of ezetimibe or a PCSK9 inhibitor further decreases the risk of cardiovascular events, and PCSK9 inhibition has also been associated with reduction in the risk of MALE by up to 40%. Furthermore, statin- based treatment improved walking … read more

Joseph Borg, a lecturer and researcher in Applied Biomedical Science at the University of Malta’s Faculty of Health Sciences, will deliver a talk and presentation on Wednesday, November 10 at 7pm at Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta, regarding an experiment on diabetes he is conducting at the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Project Maleth.

Prof. Borg’s experiment is the first Maltese presence at the ISS, launching the nation into a new era of involvement in space … read more

Isolates Among Post-Operative Patients in Harari Region Public Hospitals, Harar, Eastern Ethiopia
Surgical site infections (SSIs) are infections that occur one month after a surgical operation or one year after implant surgery and a surgical procedure, either at the injury site or near the injury site. Surgical site infections are still a major global problem, especially in developing countries, where they cause increased morbidity and mortality. There is a dearth of information regarding SSIs in the eastern Ethiopia, particularly in this study area … read more

Researchers at the University of Bath in the UK, along with outside collaborators, have developed a simple color change test that rapidly indicates whether a wound is infected with harmful bacteria. The test works by detecting virulence factors released by the bacteria, which prompt a simple color change in a solution. The test could help clinicians to determine whether to prescribe antibiotics, and may help to avoid unnecessary prescribing. As the test can be administered at the point of care, and does not require expensive and time-consuming laboratory analysis, it may be very useful in low-resource or remote regions … read more

Industry researchers have used machine learning to predict healing times for wounds based in part on patient data stored in electronic health records.

The team suggests its model can help clinicians make optimal decisions for treating slow-to-heal abrasions, lacerations and so on by knowing which new and preexisting patient traits are most likely to influence outcomes.

The study was conducted by staff members of Net Health, a supplier of software and analytics services, and is current in Advances in Wound Care.

The team trained AI prediction models on data from more than 1.2 million wounds … read more

Herzliya-based MedCu’s product have already been approved by the US FDA.
An innovative Israeli-made wound dressing has been found to drastically stimulate the healing of diabetic wounds, a new study by physicians at the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa has found.
Copper Oxide Impregnated Wound Dressings, developed by Herzliya-based MedCu Technologies, have already received clearance by the major international regulatory bodies – including the United States’ FDA – for use in acute and chronic wounds.
“What is special about our dressing is that it contains particles of copper oxide,” said Dr. Gadi Borkow … read more

This month we celebrate World Diabetes Day on November 14,1 which is the birthday of Dr Frederick G. Banting, one of four key collaborators in the discovery of insulin. He pursued the idea that an important element in the pancreas could help save the lives of persons with type 1 diabetes: insulin. It took the other members his team—collaborators at of the University of Toronto— to isolate insulin from the pancreas and formulate it into a lifesaving clinical reality. All of this happened 100 years ago this November, when the researchers demonstrated that insulin extract reduced blood sugar in laboratory animals.1 Because they felt so strongly that this medical breakthrough had to be available to all, they sold the patent for 100 cents ($1) so insulin could be affordable for everyone who needed … read more

CMS CY 2021 hospital outpatient and physician fee schedule proposed rules
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services have released for comment its proposed CY 2021 updates to the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Physician Fee Schedule. Below, verbatim, are several provisions the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders has identified as particularly impacting wound care clinicians, which the Alliance will be tracking and preparing comment on … read more

Information regarding coding, coverage, and payment is provided as a service to our readers. Every effort has been made to ensure information accuracy. However, HMP Communications and the authors do not represent, guarantee, or warranty that coding, coverage, and payment information is error-free and/or that payment will be received. The ultimate responsibility for verifying information accuracy lies with the reader.

Welcome to the second article dedicated to documentation issues in wound care (click here for the first part). The intent of this article is to point out inconsistencies found in the documentation of a patient’s wound care history and provide possible suggestions on how to avoid creating those inconsistencies. Reviewing numerous wound care records has provided me with interesting findings that I would like to share with you … read more

Chronic wounds are a common and debilitating condition associated with aging populations that impact more than 6.5 million patients in the United States. We have previously demonstrated the efficacy of daily topical 1% valsartan in treating wounds in diabetic mouse and pig models. Despite these promising results, there remains a need to develop an extended-release formulation that would reduce patient burden by decreasing the frequency of daily applications. Here, we used nanotechnology to self-assemble valsartan amphiphiles into a filamentous structure (val-filaments) that would serve as a scaffold in wound beds and allow for steady, localised and tunable release of valsartan amphiphiles over 24 days. Two topical treatments of this peptide-based hydrogel on full-thickness wounds in Zucker Diabetic Fatty rats resulted in faster rates of wound closure. By day 23, all val-filament treated wounds were completely closed, as compared to one wound closed in the placebo group. Mechanistically, we observed enrichment of proteins involved in cell adhesion and energetics pathways … read more

Researchers in Singapore say they have developed a bandage that can detect and wirelessly send medical information related to chronic wounds, such as temperature and bacteria type. With the ability to capture and transmit such data in under 15 minutes, the wearable sensor is touted to speed up assessment of such wounds and provide more timely treatment.

Called VeCare, the platform encompasses a “wound sensing bandage”, an electronic chip, and a mobile app through which data is transmitted, said the research team from the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech) at National University of Singapore (NUS). The researchers also worked with clinical partners from Singapore General Hospital (SGH) … read more

Could novel vaccines or even a medieval recipe for eye balm provide new ways to defeat the teeming armies of antibiotic-resistant superbugs?

There is no doubt we desperately need new solutions to tackle infectious bacteria: the World Health Organisation (WHO) lists antimicrobial resistance as a top ten global health threat, saying that by 2050 it will kill more people than cancer if resistance keeps rising at current rates … In April, the WHO warned that none of the 43 antibiotics now being developed can beat the world’s 13 most lethal bacteria, such as Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, both of which cause blood infections and pneumonia … read more

AAWC is delighted to be able to offer a live online replay of a select number of presentations from our Pressure Ulcer Summit.

The PrU Summit, themed Reducing Health Disparities in Pressure Ulcer/Injury (PU/PI) Detection & Management, took place on October 7-9, 2021. As part of the AAWC’s commitment to educating health care professionals on this important topic and as a thank you to the generous support from our sponsors and exhibitors, a live online replay conference will be aired globally, at no cost. More information.

A study in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal investigated the role of nutritional intervention in wound care.

The nutritional intervention and its role in wound care has been a controversial topic, according to authors of a review recently published in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal.1 This is the first literature review of mineral and vitamin wound intervention using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines by wound type, according to the review’s authors.

The authors of this review sought to outline the nutrients and delivery methods used in identified relevant studies, analyze treatment outcomes, and summarize the nutrient effectiveness. They also proposed evidence-based conclusions to improve outcomes of wound healing and increase the consistency of nutritional intervention in wound care … read more

An international research team, led by the University of Canterbury‘s Professor Rudi Marquez, has developed a new wound gel that promises horses and humans. This new wound gel will be used to treat foot ulcers and kick-starts tissue regeneration.

As scientists noted, it could have a significant impact on healing horses and humans alike.

To create this gel, scientists used a protein that helps the skin inside the human mouth to heal quickly … read more

Once upon a time there was a happy land where at least half the patients seen in a hospital-based outpatient wound center (HOPD) were Medicare Fee for Service (FFS) beneficiaries. Their treatments were covered and we got paid for providing them. The most the patient had to worry about was the 20% “patient responsible portion.” In that kingdom, only private payers required prior authorization for services like hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), or “skin substitutes,” but at least they actually authorized those treatments upon request … read more

A large, multicentre cohort study provides a simple, practical method to effectively stratify patients preoperatively into low- and high-risk major amputation categories.

According to lead author Leigh Ann O’Banion (University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA), “traumatic popliteal artery injuries present a serious clinical challenge because they are associated with the greatest risk of limb loss of all peripheral vascular injuries, with major amputation rates of 14–25%.” … read more

A wound is a break in the continuity of a bodily tissue, such as the skin or mucous membrane. Wounds can be caused by events that are external to the organism – such as trauma, burns, or surgical incisions; and wounds can also be of endogenous origin – such as a distal ischemic event involving the toes due to embolism or arterial stenosis … Wound attributes, such as its causative mechanism, size, depth and location are useful for characterizing its type. When a wound is being assessed, it is also important to determine the stage of wound healing, extent of tissue repair, presence of any obvious elements preventing complete wound closure, and the patient’s psychological status. Complete restoration of tissue integrity requires multidisciplinary care and patient adherence to the recommended treatment …The patient’s baseline clinical condition greatly influences the wound healing process. Healthy individuals tend to recover quickly, with restoration of skin integrity and scars that have a better appearance as well as fewer complications. Patients with chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes mellitus and hypertension, malnutrition or obesity) tend to present delayed wound healing and have greater risk of complications such as infection, and functional and psychological sequelae … read more

This free-to-attend CPD webinar has been organised by British Journal of Hospital Medicine, supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Cook Biotech, Inc, West Lafayette, IN, USA.

In this webinar, the presenters will share their tips and insights into how healthcare professionals can make the most of social media platforms to share and learn new skills. They will also provide guidenace on the potential risks and how to avoid pitfalls.

*** This webinar is CPD certified and all attendees will receive a personalised CPD certificate sent by email after the session.***

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AOFAS President, Bruce E. Cohen, MD, invites you to AOFAS Annual Meeting, September 22-25, for the premier meeting for foot and ankle education that gives you the choice between attending in person in Charlotte, North Carolina, or virtually. Learn more: https://aofas.org/annualmeeting

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unique challenges for WOC nursing practice. Clinicians have identified skin manifestations on or near the bony prominence that are atypical of classic pressure injury among persons diagnosed with COVID-19. In some cases it may be difficult for the clinician to initially discern COVID-19 related skin manifestations from other etiologies … read more

Despite advancements in treating wounds, the molecular mechanisms behind wound healing is not fully understood. Now, researchers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), have identified a new molecular pathway that promotes wound healing in the skin. Their findings could even play a role in nonhealing wounds.

Their findings are published in the journal JCI Insight in a paper titled, “GRHL3 activates FSCN1 to relax cell-cell adhesions between migrating keratinocytes during wound reepithelialization.”

“The migrating keratinocyte wound front is required for skin wound closure. Despite significant advances in wound healing research, we do not fully understand the molecular mechanisms that orchestrate collective keratinocyte migration,” the researchers wrote. “Here, we show that, in the wound front, the epidermal transcription factor Grainyhead like-3 (GRHL3) mediates decreased expression of the adherens junction protein E-cadherin; this results in relaxed adhesions between suprabasal keratinocytes, thus promoting collective cell migration and wound closure.” … read more