MicroRNAs are interesting target structures for new therapeutic agents. They can be blocked through synthetic antimiRs. However, to date it was not possible to use these only locally. Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt have now successfully achieved this in the treatment of impaired wound healing with the help of light-inducible antimiRs.
MicroRNAs are small gene fragments which bond onto target structures in cells and in this way prevent certain proteins from forming. As they play a key role in the occurrence and manifestation of various diseases, researchers have developed what are known as antimiRs, which block microRNA function. The disadvantage of this approach is, however, that the blockade can lead to side effects throughout the entire body since microRNAs can perform different functions in various organs. Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt have now solved this problem. (more…)
The FDA-approved skin substitute reduces inflammation and transforms chronic wounds into acute injuries.
Six hours north of Reykjavik, along a narrow road tracing windswept fjords, is the Icelandic town of Isafjordur, home of 3,000 people and the midnight sun. On a blustery May afternoon, snow still fills the couloirs that loom over the docks, where the Pall Palsson, a 583-ton trawler, has just returned from a three-day trip. Below the rust-spotted deck, neat boxes are packed with freshly caught fish and ice. “If you take all the skins from that trawler,” says Fertram Sigurjonsson, the chairman and chief executive officer of Kerecis Ltd., gesturing over the catch, “we would be able to treat one in five wounds in the world.” (more…)
Washington, D.C. – The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) announced the convening of its subcommittee, the Support Surface Standards Initiative (S3I), this spring to approve new standards tests that may help prevent pressure injuries in bed-bound individuals. (more…)
PolarityTE (TM) Regenerates Full-Thickness Hair-Bearing Skin in Burns and Wounds Using Their Revolutionary Platform Technology. First ever known successful regeneration of full-thickness skin and hair; Company poised to initiate human trial in the third quarter of 2017; Management to host conference call Thursday, June 8th at 4:30pm ET.
Salt Lake City, UT — (Marketwired) — 06/08/17 — PolarityTE™, Inc. (NASDAQ: COOL) today announced pre-clinical results demonstrating that the Company’s lead product, SkinTE™, regenerated full-thickness, organized skin and hair follicles in third degree burn wounds. The findings represent the first known successful regeneration of skin and hair in full-thickness swine wound models, the standard animal model for human skin. The Company expects to initiate a human clinical trial evaluating the autologous homologous SkinTE™ construct in the third quarter of 2017. (more…)
A glass-based wound care product that emerged from research by a doctoral student at Missouri University of Science and Technology has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for human use and is now available on the commercial market.
Steve Jung laid the groundwork for the Mirragen Advanced Wound Matrix while earning a master’s degree in ceramic engineering and a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Missouri S&T. Jung is now chief technology officer at Mo-Sci Corp., a Rolla specialty glass manufacturer that continued the product’s development in collaboration with ETS Wound Care, also of Rolla. (more…)
Healing Wounds with Collagen: Knowing the Difference Makes All the Difference
This 30-minute presentation features learning opportunities that will provide in-depth instruction and demonstration in wound care treatments. After this webinar, the learner will be able to:
The Indications and Contraindications for Collagen
What a Wound Wants and Needs; and Why
Considerations of Collagen in Treating & Healing Wounds
Innovations in Wound Care: The role of wound cleansing in the management of wounds
This 30-minute presentation features learning opportunities that will provide in-depth instruction and demonstration in wound care treatments. After this webinar, the learner will be able to:
Identify the role of proper wound cleansing
Discuss how to select and use non-toxic wound cleansers
Describe advantages of collagen for managing a chronic wound
"Skin tears" may sound like a relatively minor event, but in reality, these injuries can have a significant impact on the quality of patients' lives in the form of pain, infection, and limited mobility.
The incidence of skin tears has been reported to be as high as 1.5 million annually, and with an aging population, this number is likely to go higher.
In this webinar, experts will explain how nurses can use an evidence-based approach -- including following practice guidelines to assess the wound and select the proper dressing -- for managing skin tears and minimizing their negative effects.
Wound Care Advisor eBooks are interactive digital tools full of insightful content, white papers and tutorials on trending topics that are assembled from the editorial staff along with supportive content provided by our marketing partners.
Accurate and considered wound assessment is essential to fulfill professional nursing requirements and ensure appropriate patient and wound management.
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Itinerant Wound Care Guy
Dr. Michael Miller is a board certified general surgeon and certified wound care specialist who has practiced wound care exclusively for almost 21 years in Indiana. He is the CEO and medical director of The Miller Care Group, which provides a variety of specialty care services in a variety of care locations, including house calls, skilled, assisted living and independent living facilities.
by Dr. Michael Miller There are few absolutes in my universe. I know that my youngest daughter will gleefully and with full malice (but humorously presented) find something to torment me about every time I see her; referrals from family… Read more…
by Dr. Michael Miller For those of you not as familiar with the Hoosier State as you should be, I used to think it was essentially paradise. Jim Nabors of Gomer Pyle fame is our ubiquitous, tuneful icon with his… Read more…
by Dr. Michael Miller There are certain phrases that make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Someone telling me that they are a good Jew, a good Christian, a good Muslim or the ultimate in self… Read more…
by Dr. Michael Miller Over the years of making house calls for wound care, I found that there was a real need for home based mental health and behavioral care, palliative care, podiatry and lots of other things. We cater… Read more…
by Dr. Michael Miller I have several letters after my name. The two that say “DO” indicate that I have the training of a physician and the requisite education and responsibilities that uphold those letters. They should mean to patients… Read more…
by Dr. Michael Miller I recently saw an ad for a pending lecture at a national conference that piqued my interest much like “deflate-gate”. The title of this lecture horrifically touted that Amputation need not be considered failure. As a… Read more…
by Dr. Michael Miller Health care providers are by nature an altruistic bunch. I have the honor of interviewing potential entries to my beloved profession as part of the admissions process at the newest Osteopathic Medical School in Indiana, Marian… Read more…
I remain absolutely amazed that there are so many people doing the same thing and yet doing it so completely different. Depending on where a patient’s wound care and orders originate from, the care I try to translate from that… Read more…
Welcome to the archives of Wound Care Advisor. Here you have access to a library of original, peer-reviewed, clinical, practical articles from the journal that was published through 2016.
As of January, 2017,Wound Care Advisor is no longer published in traditional journal format – HealthCom Media is now delivering the same high quality, clinical, practical and useful articles, news and practical information, tips and techniques through this website, WoundCareAdvisor.com.
Content on the site is consistently being added and updated – we invite you to bookmark WoundCareAdvisor.com and visit often.
Is there patient care data, such as case studies, short articles or other resources you are interested in sharing with your colleagues? Contact us to learn how you can be a contributor to this site.
Herpes zoster: Understanding the disease, its treatment, and prevention Herpes zoster (HZ, also called shingles) is a painful condition that produces a maculopapular and vesicular rash. Usually, the rash appears along a single dermatome (band) around one side of the body or face. In most cases, pain, tingling, burning, or itching occurs a few days before the rash. Next, blisters…
Clinical Notes: Healing SCI Patients, antiseptics on mahout, diabetesElectrical stimulation and pressure ulcer healing in SCI patients A systematic review of eight clinical trials of 517 patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and at least one pressure ulcer indicates that electrical stimulation increases the healing rate of pressure ulcers. Wounds with electrodes overlaying the wound bed seem to have faster pressureulcer healing than wounds with electrodes placed on intact…
Practicing emotional intelligence may help reduce lateral violenceIt’s been a stressful day at work—nothing new. One confused patient pulled off her ostomy bag, you’re having difficulties applying negative-pressure wound therapy on another, and a third patient’s family is angry with you. We all experience stressful days, but unfortunately, sometimes we take our stress out on each other. Too often, this ineffective way of identifying and managing stress leads…
Role of the ostomy specialist clinician in ileal pouch anal anastomosis surgeryRestorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the gold standard for surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). It’s also done to treat colon and rectal cancers, such as those caused by Lynch syndrome (LS). IPAA allows the patient to maintain fecal continence…
No more skin tearsImagine watching your skin tear, bleed, and turn purple. Imagine, too, the pain and disfigurement you’d feel.What if you had to live through this experience repeatedly? That’s what many elderly people go through, suffering with skin tears through no fault of their own. Some go on to develop complications.A skin tear is a traumatic wound caused by shear, friction, or blunt-force trauma that results in a…
Top 10 outpatient reimbursement questionsAt the 2015 Wild on Wounds conference, the interactive workshop “Are You Ready for an Outpatient Reimbursement Challenge?” featured a lively discussion among participants about 25 real-life reimbursement scenarios. Here are the top 10 questions the attendees asked, with the answers I provided.Q Why is it necessary for qualified healthcare professionals (QHPs) such as physicians, podiatrists,…
How to manage peristomal skin problemsFor an ostomy pouching system to adhere properly, the skin around the stoma must be dry and intact. Otherwise, peristomal skin problems and skin breakdown around the stoma may occur. In fact, these problems are the most common complications of surgical stomas. They can worsen the patient’s pain and discomfort, diminish quality of life, delay rehabilitation, increase use of ostomy supplies, and raise healthcare costs.Peristomal…
Evolution of the deep tissue injury or a declining pressure ulcer?A declining pressure ulcer decreases the quality of life for patients and places providers at risk for regulatory citations and litigation. But it’s important for clinicians to determine whether the first appearance of skin injury is truly a stage I or II pressure ulcer or if it’s a deep tissue…
Preventing pressure ulcers in pediatric patientsAs wound care clinicians, we are trained—and expected—to help heal wounds in patients of any age and to achieve positive outcomes. Basic wound-healing principles apply to all patients, whatever their age or size. The specific anatomy and physiology of vulnerable pediatric patients, however, requires detailed wound care. Unfortunately, little evidence-based research exists to support and…
Get the ‘SKINNI’ on reducing pressure ulcersLike many hospitals, Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital uses national benchmarks such as the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI®) to measure quality outcomes. Based on benchmark reports that showed an increased trend of pressure ulcers in critically ill patients in our hospital, the clinical nurses in our Critical Care Shared Governance Unit-Based…
Palliative wound care: Part 2By preventing and relieving suffering, palliative care improves the quality of life for patients facing problems associated with life-threatening illness. This care approach emphasizes early identification, impeccable assessment, and treatment of pain and other issues—physical, psychosocial, and spiritual.When relieving distressing symptoms takes higher priority than healing the wound, the patient may choose palliative wound care after…
Healthcare reform and changes provide opportunities for wound care cliniciansQualified healthcare professionals (QHPs), such as physicians, podiatrists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists, are taught to diagnose the reasons that chronic wounds aren’t healing and to create plans of care for aggressively managing the wound until it heals. Wound care professionals—nurses and therapists—are taught to implement those plans of…
Case study: Bariatric patient with serious wounds and multiple complicationsDespite the healthcare team’s best efforts, not all hospitalizations go smoothly. This article describes the case of an obese patient who underwent bariatric surgery. After a 62-day hospital stay, during which a multidisciplinary team collaborated to deliver the best care possible, he died. Although the outcome certainly wasn’t what we wanted,…
Managing venous stasis ulcersVenous disease, which encompasses all conditions caused by or related to diseased or abnormal veins, affects about 15% of adults. When mild, it rarely poses a problem, but as it worsens, it can become crippling and chronic.Chronic venous disease often is overlooked by primary and cardiovascular care providers, who underestimate its magnitude and impact. Chronic venous insufficiency…
Using maggots in wound care: Part 1Maggot therapy is the controlled, therapeutic application of maggots to a wound. Simple to use, it provides rapid, precise, safe, and powerful debridement. Many wound care professionals don’t provide maggot therapy (also called wound myiasis) because they lack training. But having maggot therapy technology available for patients adds to your capabilities as a wound…
Understanding therapeutic support surfacesPressure-ulcer prevention and management guidelines recommend support-surface therapy to help prevent and treat pressure ulcers. Support surfaces include pads, mattresses, and cushions that redistribute pressure. Full cushions and cushion pads are considered therapeutic support surfaces if used to redistribute a patient’s pressure in a chair or wheelchair.The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) defines support surfaces as…
Becoming a wound care diplomatThe Rolling Stones may have said it best when they sang, “You can’t always get what you want,” a sentiment that also applies to wound care. A common frustration among certified wound care clinicians is working with other clinicians who have limited current wound care education and knowledge. This situation worsens when these clinicians are making…
When and how to culture a chronic woundChronic wound infections are a significant healthcare burden, contributing to increased morbidity and mortality, prolonged hospitalization, limb loss, and higher medical costs. What’s more, they pose a potential sepsis risk for patients. For wound care providers, the goal is to eliminate the infection before these consequences arise.Most chronic wounds are colonized by polymicrobial…
How do you prove a wound was unavoidable?A pressure ulcer that a patient acquires in your facility or a patient’s existing pressure ulcer that worsens puts your organization at risk for regulatory citations as well as litigation. Unless you can prove the pressure ulcer was unavoidable, you could find yourself burdened with citations or fines, or could even end up…
Developing a cost-effective pressure-ulcer prevention program in an acute-care settingPressure ulcers take a hefty toll in both human and economic terms. They can lengthen patient stays, cause pain and suffering, and increase care costs. The average estimated cost of treating a pressure ulcer is $50,000; this amount may include specialty beds, wound care supplies, nutritional support, and increased staff time…
Understanding stoma complicationsAbout 1 million people in the United States have either temporary or permanent stomas. A stoma is created surgically to divert fecal material or urine in patients with GI or urinary tract diseases or disorders.A stoma has no sensory nerve endings and is insensitive to pain. Yet several complications can affect it, making accurate assessment crucial. These complications…
By Nancy Morgan, RN, BSN, MBA, WOC, WCC, DWC, OMS Description Collagen, the protein that gives the skin its tensile strength, plays a key role in each phase of wound healing. It attracts cells, such as fibroblasts and keratinocytes, to the wound, which encourages debridement, angiogenesis, and reepithelialization. In addition, collagen provides a natural scaffold or substrate for new tissue…
By Rosalyn S. Jordan, RN, BSN, MSc, CWOCN, WCC, OMS; and Judith LaDonna Burns, LPN, WCC, DFC About 1 million people in the United States have either temporary or permanent stomas. A stoma is created surgically to divert fecal material or urine in patients with GI or urinary tract diseases or disorders. A stoma has no sensory nerve endings and…
By Nancy Collins, PhD, RD, LD/N, FAPWCA, and Allison Schnitzer Nutrition is a critical factor in the wound healing process, with adequate protein intake essential to the successful healing of a wound. Patients with both chronic and acute wounds, such as postsurgical wounds or pressure ulcers, require an increased amount of protein to ensure complete and timely healing of their…
By Carrie Carls, BSN, RN, CWOCN, CHRN, and Sherry Clayton, RHIA In an atmosphere of changing reimbursement, it’s important to understand indications and utilization guidelines for healthcare services. Otherwise, facilities won’t receive appropriate reimbursement for provided services. This article focuses on Medicare reimbursement for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). (See What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?) Indications and documentation requirements
By Nancy Morgan, RN, BSN, MBA, WOC, WCC, DWC, OMS Each issue, Apple Bites brings you a tool you can apply in your daily practice. Description Hydrated polymer (hydrogel) dressings, originally developed in the 1950s, contain 90% water in a gel base, which helps regulate fluid exchange from the wound surface. Hydrogel dressing are usually clear or translucent and vary…
By Kulbir Dhillon, MSN, FNP, APNP, WCC Venous disease, which encompasses all conditions caused by or related to diseased or abnormal veins, affects about 15% of adults. When mild, it rarely poses a problem, but as it worsens, it can become crippling and chronic. Chronic venous disease often is overlooked by primary and cardiovascular care providers, who underestimate its magnitude…
By Ron Rock MSN, RN, ACNS-BC Since its introduction almost 20 years ago, negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has become a leading technology in the care and management of acute, chronic, dehisced, traumatic wounds; pressure ulcers; diabetic ulcers; orthopedic trauma; skin flaps; and grafts. NPWT applies controlled suction to a wound using a suction pump that delivers intermittent, continuous, or variable…
By Robyn Bjork, MPT, WCC, CWS, CLT-LANA Margery Smith, age 82, arrives at your wound clinic for treatment of a shallow, painful ulcer on the lateral aspect of her right lower leg. On examination, you notice weeping and redness of both lower legs, 3+ pitting edema, several blisters, and considerable denudement of the periwound skin. She is wearing tennis shoes…
By Connie Johnson, BSN, RN, WCC, LLE, OMS, DAPWCA No matter where you work or who your distributors are, ensuring the patient has sufficient ostomy supplies can be a challenge. Whether you’re the nurse, the physician, the patient, or the family, not having supplies for treatments can heighten frustration with an already challenging situation, such as a new ostomy. Here’s…
By Jennifer Oakley, BS, RN, WCC, DWC, OMS I used to think I could do it alone. I took the wound care certification course, passed the certification exam, and took all of my new knowledge—and my new WCC credential—back to the long-term care facility where I worked. I was ready to change the world. It didn’t take me long to…
BY: NANCY MORGAN, RN, BSN, MBA, WOCN, WCC, CWCMS, DWC
What exactly is wound exudate? Also known as drainage, exudate is a liquid produced by the body in response to tissue damage. We want our patients’ wounds to be moist, but not overly moist. The type of drainage can tell us what’s going on in a wound.
Let’s look at the types of exudates commonly seen with wounds. (more…)
With so much focus on dressing choices, it’s easy to forget the importance of wound cleansing. Wound cleansing can help achieve the goals of wound bed preparation by removing microorganisms, biological and environmental debris to create an environment beneficial to healing as well as facilitating wound assessment by allowing clear visualization of the wound.
Proper wound care is essential to preventing infections for patients in all practice settings, and healthcare providers should stay informed about the most current and effective treatments out there.
Recognizing factors that increase patients’ susceptibility to infection allows providers to identify risks and take measures to prevent infection from occurring or worsening.
Learn how your healthcare team can provide better patient care.
Patient care teams rely on the wound care nurse alone to implement a pressure ulcer prevention program; however, a successful program requires involvement from the entire care team and is a 24/7 endeavor.
Tips on how to differentiate and goals for protection and management.
* Identify how wounds are classified according to wound depth and etiology. * Describe the etiology of a pressure injury (PI) and incontinence-associated skin damage (IAD). * Discuss evidence-based protocols of care of prevention and management if IAD and PIs. * Describe the NPUAP-EPUAP Pressure Injury Classification System. * Identify appropriate products that can be used for preventioin and treatment of IAD and PIs.
[This e-book has been developed through an educational grant from CM&F Group]
Learn more about: A Continuing Risk for Healthcare Workers, Sharps Injuries: Facts and Figures, Proactive Steps for Yourself and Your Colleagues, A Preventable Injury, A Downloadable Workbook from the CDC, The Case for Coverage, If You are Exposed.
Needlesticks and other sharps-related exposures to bloodborne pathogens (including HIV, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus) continue to pose a significant occupational risk for healthcare workers
Safe biopsy handling One of the most common problems in connection with biopsy handling is the risk of being exposed to formalin either through touch or inhalation. A risk that doctors, veterinarians, laboratory technicians and nurses are exposed to every day.
With BiopSafe the problem is finally solved.
receive a free BiopSafe Sample and a free eBook PDF with more information and details.
Washington, D.C. – The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) announced the convening of its subcommittee, the Support Surface Standards Initiative (S3I), this spring to approve new standards tests that may help prevent pressure injuries in bed-bound individuals. 
