Keeping clinicians up-to-date on clinical knowledge is one of the main goals of the Wild on Wounds (WOW) conference held each September in Las Vegas. Every year, I present the opening session, called “The Buzz Report,” which focuses on the latest-breaking wound care news—what’s new, what’s now, and what’s coming up. I discuss new products, practice guidelines, resources, and tools from the last 12 months in skin, wound, and ostomy management.
In the January issue, I discussed some of the updates from my 2015 Buzz Report. Now I’d like to share a few more, along with some of my favorite resources.
Product buzz
Wound dressings with silicone are designed to reduce pain and trauma during dressing changes and to protect the wound. Coloplast’s new Biatain® Silicone Lite does just that, combining an absorbent polyurethane foam dressing with a semipermeable, water- and bacteriaproof top film and a soft silicone woundcontact layer. The thin foam provides a closer fit at skin level, resulting in increased mobility and product comfort.
Anasept® Antimicrobial Wound Irrigation Solution provides a new dimension in antimicrobial wound care and negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT). This FDA-cleared solution is a clear isotonic liquid that delivers 0.057% broad-spectrum antimicrobial sodium hypochlorite via a NPWT device. Kill studies for Anasept® are fascinating: a 30-second kill time for infections with Clostridium difficile, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vanc o mycinresistant enterococci, Pseudo monas, and many more. Anasept comes with an easyto- use spikable container with an integrated hanger that can be quickly attached to an I.V. pole or NPWT device. It can be used with most NPWT systems that have instillation or infusion capability.
Cutimed® Sorbact® Hydroactive B from BSN Medical provides infection control and fluid management for up to 4 days in a single wound dressing. It helps fight and prevent infection without chemical agents or antibiotics. The bacteria-binding, absorbent gel dressing with an adhesive border absorbs and locks wound exudate and bacteria in a hydropolymer gel core; with each dressing change, bound bacteria are removed. The hydrogel matrix helps maintain a moist wound environment.
No scissors? No problem! Hy-Tape International, maker of the Original Pink Tape®, has come to the rescue with Hy- Tape® Pre-cut Strips and Patches. These latex free, waterproof, zinc–oxide-based adhesive tape products are perfect for extended wear, soothing to delicate skin, and adherent to wet, oily, or hairy skin. The single-use strips measure 1.25″ x 6″ and come in packs of four. They can quickly be used to secure devices or to “picture-frame” wounds or ostomy barriers. The patches are designed to cover a large area. Available in 4″ and 5″ squares, they’re perfect for making hydrocolloid dressings completely occlusive.
The American Diabetes Association’s report “Comprehensive Foot Examination and Risk Assessment” states that all individuals with diabetes should get an annual foot exam to assess peripheral neuropathy and protective sensation, including a test for vibration perception. Typically, the clinician uses a tuning fork to test for vibration sensation, but this can be difficult for those unfamiliar with the feel; also, the results are totally subjective. The new portable, handheld noninvasive Dynamic Neuroscreening Device (DND) from Prosenex provides objective and consistent quantitative testing for vibration sensation. It offers five grades of vibration and temperature discrimination to screen for large- and small-fiber neuropathy. FDA approved and made in the United States, DND was named the 2014 New Hampshire High Tech Product of the Year.
Zinc oxide ointment is a “go-to” product for incontinence-associated dermatitis. But its consistency makes it difficult and messy to spread evenly over the skin. Mission Pharmacal Co. has created a new solution for this—Dr. Smith’s Adult Barrier Spray. This 10% zinc oxide solution comes as an easy, touch-free, spray application, offering accurate, uniform coverage with no rubbing necessary.
Incidence data reveal that the heel is the most common site of facility-acquired pressure ulcers. Once a heel pressure ulcer develops, complete elimination of heel
pressure using a pressure-relief device is critical. The new TruVue™ Heel Protector from EHOB positions a pillow under the Achilles tendon to elevate the heel. Constructed
with an anti-shear pad that serves as a barrier to shearing forces, the device has a deep, V-cut heel well that fully off – loads the heel without product interaction and relieves product-to-heel engagement with foot flexion.
Resource buzz
Accessing the Internet for information using smartphones and tablets has quickly become a huge part of health care. Two major wound care companies have released mobile applications to help healthcare professionals and consumers use and order their products. Several new woundcare books were published in 2015 as well. (See What’s the buzz on books?)
The iOn Healing™ mobile app from Acelity offers a suite of tools to improve customer support. In addition to product guides, features include the ability to connect and consult directly with an Acelity representative, track outcomes to support documentation of medical necessity, and order V.A.C.® Therapy and instantly transmit the signed prescription to Acelity. The HIPAA-compliant app offers high-security data protection. Designed for use by licensed clinicians in the United States, it’s free to download and available for iOS and Android.
The Johnson & Johnson Wound Care Resource™ app helps identify new wounds, provides recommendations on wound care treatment, and keeps track of the daily checklists that come with continued treatment. It’s available free for iOS at iTunes and for Android at GooglePlay.
A dream come true for wound care clinicians—an app that measures wounds! With the Mobile Wound Care app from Tissue Analytics, you can take a wound photo with a smartphone camera and stream it directly to your desktop, where you can measure, track, and manage your patients’ wounds on a secure web portal. It’s available for iOS at iTunes and for Android at Google Play.
The Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ) produces evidence that can be used to make health care safer, better, more accessible, more equitable, and more affordable. AHRQ websites offer a wealth of useful information for clinicians A few of my favorites are the Patient Safety Channel on YouTube, Innovations Exchange, Safety Program for Nursing Homes: On-Time Pressure Ulcer Prevention, and Service Delivery Innovation Profile, such as this one, which details various healthcare projects around the country.
Donna Sardina is editor-in-chief of Wound Care Advisor and cofounder of the Wound Care Education Institute in Plainfield, Illinois.
DISCLAIMER: All clinical recommendations are intended to assist with determining the appropriate wound therapy for the patient. Responsibility for final decisions and actions related to care of specific patients shall remain the obligation of the institution,its staff, and the patients’ attending physicians. Nothing in this information shall be deemed to constitute the providing of medical care or the diagnosis of any medical condition. Individuals should contact their healthcare providers for medical-related information.
