Foam Dressings

By Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine Journal Review Club

Venous leg ulcerations (VLUs) are a common and often chronic pathology, and these wounds diminish the quality of life and increase the financial burden for affected patients. A recent article estimates that up to 3% of the U.S. population suffer from VLUs. A venous leg ulcer can be severely painful and may decrease a patient’s quality of life by affecting sleep, mobility, activities of daily living, and even result in social isolation. A 1994 paper proposed that approximately 65% of patients felt financially affected by a VLU, and this number is likely to have increased as a result of rising healthcare costs. The prevalence and chronic nature of the venous leg ulceration has motivated physicians to research novel techniques to heal ulcers successfully and in a timely manner.
Acellular dermal matrices have been utilized to treat diabetic foot ulcers with favorable outcomes.4 This study investigated the efficacy of a specific acellular dermal matrix for VLUs.

by the WoundSource Editors

Periwound skin management is just as important as wound bed preparation in wound healing. The goal of periwound management is to maintain an optimal moist wound healing environment while preventing skin breakdown and infection. Skin is more vulnerable in patients with certain comorbidities and conditions. Periwound skin breakdown is just one of the culprits that delay wound healing and increase pain. It is important to identify conditions and risk factors early in your wound assessment to help prevent any risk of wound progress declination.

by the WoundSource Editors

Before embarking on the journey of wound bed preparation, the goals for wound care should be carefully considered. A realistic look at the goals and expectations from the perspective of the patient as well as the wound care team is the first step in developing and implementing the appropriate plan of care.

Alginate: Highly absorptive, non-occlusive dressing derived from brown seaweed or kelp.

Antimicrobial dressing: Delivers a sustained release of antimicrobial agents to the wound, to eradicate bioburden.

by the WoundSource Editors

by the WoundSource Editors

Dressing selections can be overwhelming for clinicians and providers in health care. There are now well over 6,000 wound care products on the market. Ideally, there would be a multifunctional smart dressing that could “do it all” readily available in all settings. Unfortunately, we as health care providers know, that definitely isn’t the case.

By Michael Miller DO, FACOS, FAPWCA, WCC

Is there some feature, mark or other identification that assures a patient that caveat emptor is not a concern? Perhaps wearing a scarlet letter “W” identifying oneself as a wound care specialist. In Mel Brooks' 1974 Western, Blazing Saddles, the bad guys, when offered the sine qua non of a do-gooder respond acidly "Badges? We don't need no stinking badges." How then can patients identify helpers versus harmers? Why does the desire to be all things to all people as health care providers so easily usurp common sense? While the specific origin is murky, there is no question that somebody created the credo we all purport to adhere to, "First do no harm". Can ignorance, stupidity, greed or malicious intent for profit mitigate this?

By Michael Miller DO, FACOS, FAPWCA

RAMBLINGS OF AN ITINERANT WOUND CARE GUY, PT. 9

One of the most obvious things about being a health care professional is that our goal is to help people get better. The concepts of an ill patient saying to me, "Dr. Miller, I don't want to get better or worse, can you do something to keep me in this condition?" Seems ludicrous and more, improbable. I could not imagine any health care professional being successful if patients remained in the exact same condition weeks after treatment. As I have said in previous blogs, I recognize that while there are many variations on the definition of "better", I think it's safe to say that "better" means improved in some way, shape, or form.