Smith & Nephew Introduces ALLEVYN^™ Ag Silver Wound Dressing

       Smith & Nephew Wound Management (Largo, Fla) introduces new ALLEVYN^™ Ag, a silver hydrocellular foam dressing that simplifies the use of silver in wound care.
       ALLEVYN Ag provides sustained, controlled silver release at bactericidal levels throughout its 7-day wear time—even against difficult pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ALLEVYN Ag delivers comfort to patients while reducing dressing changes.
       The ALLEVYN line of products effectively manages fluids, provides optimal moisture balance, soft padding, and long wear time.
       Visit http://www.smith-nephew.com or call 800-876-1261 for more information.

Ceftobiprole Shows Potential for Healing Infected Skin
       Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development LLC (Raritan, NJ) announced that the investigational antibiotic ceftobiprole was as effective as commonly used combination therapy in treating patients with complicated skin infections caused by a broad spectrum of bacteria.
       Ceftobiprole, in its co-developmental stages with Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd (Basel, Switzerland), demonstrated the ability to clinically cure more than 90% of patients who had infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, in addition to patients with complicated skin infections due to positive methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
       Data were presented in 2 poster presentations at the 47th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC).
       Visit http://www.jnj.com for more information.

Hill-Rom’s New Wound Therapy Surface Offers Safety and Treatment Features
       Hillenbrand Industries Inc (Batesville, Ind) announced that its Hill-Rom subsidiary has introduced a new hospital bed surface that enhances care for patients with pressure ulcers, The Hill-Rom^® E700 Wound Surface (a low air loss therapy surface). The Hill-Rom E700 will not only enhance outcomes for both patients and caregivers as it provides levels of flexibility within healthcare facilities, but it also represents the next generation of technology in wound care surfaces.
       Visit http://www.hill-rom.com/ usa/index.asp for more information.

EPISCAN^® Device Assists in Treating Pressure Ulcers
       Longport Inc, (Glen Mills, Pa) looks forward to rule changes set in place by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to stop reimbursement for hospital-acquired pressure ulcers beginning in October 2008.
       The company’s EPISCAN^® ultrasound scanner aids hospitals in determining if patients arrive with pre-existing conditions. The scanner detects changes in tissue structure of developing pressure ulcers ahead of time—and this early detection prevents pressure ulcers. This capability can document patient conditions upon facility admission.
       Visit http://www.longportinc.com for more information.

Sage Products’ Skin Check^™ Helps Meet JCAHO Initiatives
       Sage Products’ (Cary, Ill) powerful system for promoting daily skininspection is now available on all Comfort Bath^® products. Skin Check^™ is an easy to use peel-and-stick label, which empowers nonlicensed staff to observe and communicate skin issues to the nurses providing care. The label allows staff to indicate which part of the body needs to be checked for skin problems.
       Skin Check reinforces the company’s continued commitment to helping hospitals meet Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) initiatives for patient care.
       Visit http://www.sageproducts.com or http://www.comfortbath.com for more information.