Here - EWMA 2013

ORAL PRESENTATIONS
13
SINGLE USE NEGATIVE PRESSURE WOUND THERAPY (SU-NPWT)
FOR THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC LOWER LEG WOUNDS
Free Paper Session: Leg Ulcers I
John Lantis 1 , Jamie Schwartz 1 , Ema Avdagic 1 , Cynthia Gendics 1
1 St Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital; Columbia University (New York, United States).
Aim: The management of the chronic lower leg ulcer revolves around the TIME
principals. NPWT has been used extensively in this field. Therefore, we undertook a
prospective trial of an affordable low profile SU-NPWT on chronic lower extremity
wounds that would usually be deemed too small or superficial for traditional NPWT.
Methods: A prospective trial of 20 patients was undertaken in which chronic wound of
the lower extremity were treated with SU-NPWT, with the pad being changed twice a
week and the power unit weekly. Wound depth, appearance of granulation tissue,
periwound skin integrity, patient comfort as well as digital photography and planimetry
were carried out at each visit. Patients with VLU were treated under 4 layer wrap, while
DFUs were treated with offloading shoes.
Results: 80% were VLU, while 20% were DFU, with 10% being HIV+. The average
wound duration was 14.2 months, the average size was 23.87 cm 2 (±17.67 cm 2 ). Over
the course of the study the amount of beefy red tissue increased from 42.5% to 58.5%
(p=0.47), while the average size decreased to 17.3 cm 2 (±15.54 cm 2 ) (p=0.069). 10% of
wound closed entirely. Overall the wound became much more superficial, all patients
tolerated the dressing well.
Conclusion: The SU-NPWT appeared to make the wounds much more superficial while
allowing for improved granulation beds, meeting the TIME principals of moisture balance
and epithelial edge migration.
FREE PAPER SESSION: LEG ULCERS I
14
Free Paper Session: Leg Ulcers I
Topical application of haemoglobin to promote the wound healing
of patients with Ulcus cruris venosum in a prospective, single
blinded randomized clinical study
Peter Engels 1
1 EngelsConsult (Bergisch Gladbach, Germany).
Aim: Hypoxia is one of the most critical factors limiting chronic wound healing. Therefore
the improvement of wound oxygenation is getting increasing attention in modern wound
care. Aim of a complementary application of haemoglobin to wounds is to improve and
accelerate wound healing by providing additional oxygen through facilitated diffu-sion to
hypoxic tissue.
Methods: A solution comprising purified haemoglobin was added to the standard wound
care procedure of patients with Ulcus cruris venosum and compared to a second group
without addition of the haemoglobin. Patients were hospitalized two weeks prior to study
initiation. Only pa-tients, who were refractory to the initial treatment in the hospital, were
selected. In each group, 36 patients were included. Duration of treatment was 13 weeks.
Primary end point was reduction of wound size or wound closing during treatment
period.
Results: In the group treated with the additional haemoglobin solution, an average of
53% of wound size reduction was obtained (p