Current Issue

Efficacy of Polyhexamethylene Biguanide-containing Antimicrobial Foam Dressing Against MRSA Relative to Standard Foam Dressing

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:38:49 -0400

Abstract: Many modern foam wound dressings possess a variety of attributes that are designed to create a supportive wound-healing environment. These attributes include absorbing exudate, providing optimum moisture balance at the wound surface, and preventing maceration of surrounding tissue. However, studies suggest that controlling wound bioburden should also be targeted when developing wound therapeutics. Thus, traditional foam dressings may absorb a copious amount of fluid, but may also provide an environment where microbes can grow unchallenged, leading to an increase in wound bioburden. H

Autologous Cell Therapy: Current Treatments and Future Prospects

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:08:44 -0400

Abstract: Autologous cell therapy (ACT) is a novel therapeutic intervention that uses an individual’s cells, which are cultured and expanded outside the body, and reintroduced into the donor. Advantages of such an approach include the minimization of risks from systemic immunological reactions, bio-incompatibility, and disease transmission associated with grafts or cells not cultivated from the individual. So far, this form of therapy has been used successfully to bioengineer skin substitutes, aid wound healing, counteract chronic inflammation, treat burns and pressure ulcers, and improve po

Treatment of Recalcitrant Wounds of Diverse Etiology With a New Hydroactive Gel

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:51:48 -0400

Abstract: Our knowledge about wound care has progressed considerably in recent years. Nonetheless there is a continuing need for new topical hydroactive gels in this field. Flamigel® (Flen Pharma NV, Kontich, Belgium) has recently been used on a limited number of burn patients. The hydroactive colloid gel maintains the wound in an ideal moist environment. The polymer in the tube is present in two physical forms—active and inactive. In a dry wound, the active polymer will release part of its moisture to hydrate the wound and to create and maintain a moist wound environment (“hydrogel” ef

The Effect of Vacuum-assisted Closure on the Tissue Oxygenation of Venous Ulcers: A Pilot Study

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:10:10 -0400

Abstract: Background. Vacuum-assisted closure (V.A.C.® Therapy, KCI, San Antonio, TX) has been widely used to increase the healing rate of a variety of wounds. It has been hypothesized that one of the actions of VAC is to increase perfusion and subsequent oxygenation of tissue. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of VAC therapy on transcutaneous oximetry measurements (TCOM) of skin surrounding chronic venous ulcers. Methods. This was a prospective, experimental pilot study. Patients undergoing compression therapy were recruited from a community wound clinic. All patient

A Retrospective Clinical Review of Extracellular Matrices for Tissue Reconstruction: Equine Pericardium as a Biological Covering

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:28:41 -0400

Abstract: Complex wounds frequently undergo surgical excision and grafting in an attempt to optimize the wound environment and to facilitate wound closure. Individuals who have not responded to conventional non-surgical therapies and dressings may not be good candidates for autologous grafting. A fully flexible, cross-linked, acellular equine pericardium biological xenograft was used to address difficult-to-treat and recalcitrant wounds of the lower extremity. Twenty-four complex wounds of varying etiology, including diabetic, venous, trauma, vasculitic, and post-surgical wounds underwent surg

The Importance of Concentration

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:37:32 -0400

Dear Readers,

“Would you turn off that music? I can’t concentrate!” How many times have you heard that? There is no question that distractions are not good especially if we are doing tasks that require our full attention.

When I was a resident, one of the cardiac surgeons insisted we do coronary bypass procedures while listening to the 1812 Overture. His goal was for us to get the bypass grafts sutured in place before the cannons fired! Let me assure you—that was a bit distracting. It appears that distractions in the operating room may pl

September 2009

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:40:37 -0400

Dear Editor: In his excellent review of surgical treatment of the diabetic foot (Surgical management of the diabetic foot, WOUNDS, March 2008), Dr. Caputo correctly points out that decreasing pressure in the ulcer area is crucial to healing the foot ulcers. However, there is important information on successful tendon lengthening treatments including results on follow-up not mentioned in the article. I also have referenced some information published after this article. Lin et al¹ reported a study (Level-III) in which ulcers that did not heal with use of a total co

Industry News September 2009

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:50:16 -0400

New Data Support ConvaTec Negative Pressure Wound Therapy

ConvaTec (Skillman, NJ) announced the publication of new data demonstrating positive clinical results achieved with the Engenex® Advanced Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) system. The system utilizing low pressure (75 mmHg) and EasyRelease™ dressings incorporating Bio-Dome™ Interface Technology is designed to safely and effectively promote the healing of difficult wounds.

The case series study, published in the June issue of Ostomy Wound Management, evaluated use of the ne

Products News September 2009

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:54:59 -0400

KCI Introduces the ABThera™ Open Abdomen System

Kinetic Concepts Inc [San Antonio, Tex] has officially launched the ABThera™ open abdomen negative pressure therapy system, the latest addition to its Negative Pressure Technology Platform (NPTP). The company estimates there are approximately 250,000 open abdomen procedures performed annually within the United States and European Union.

ABThera addresses patient quality of life through a convenient system designed to assist surgeons in the management and treatment of the “open abdomen

Michael Steadman, President of ConvaTec Wound Therapeutics

admin — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:39:26 -0400

When he was 18 years old, Michael Steadman was a firefighter in the suburbs of Chicago. It was during these early years of adulthood that an interest in wound care was established. “I saw plenty of burns as well as trauma-related wounds—that was my foundation,” he says.

After graduating college with a business degree, Michael became a representative for Carrington Laboratories Inc (Irving, Tex), a research-based, biopharmaceutical and consumer products company that utilizes naturally occurring complex carbohydrates to manufacture and market pr