Methacrylate dressing on refractory venous leg ulcers

A systematic review on the use of transforming powder dressing for wound care

The transforming powder dressing (Altrazeal®, Uluru Inc, Addison, TX, USA) is simple to use, painless to apply and has a wear time of up to 30 days. This study aims to review the current literature to elucidate the impact of transforming powder dressing on healing, pain management and overall patient outcomes. We conducted a systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Data including study characteristics, patient demographics and wound outcomes were extracted. Our systematic review included 26 articles (n = 175). Of these articles, 13 (50%) were case reports, 10 (38.5%) were case series, 2 (7.7%) were randomised controlled trials and 1 (3.8%) was a cohort study. Wound types included venous ulcer (23.9%), pressure sore (19.7%), burn (15.5%), skin graft (13.4%), diabetic foot ulcer (4.2%), Mohs defect (3.5%) and other (19.6%). Complete re-epithelialization occurred in 90.1% of the wounds. A total of 19 studies (73%) discussed pain, each of which reported reduced pain with the use of transforming powder dressing. The evaluated studies collectively suggest that transforming powder dressing offers a promising re-epithelialization rate and analgesic effect across various wound types.

The Combined Effects of a Methacrylate Powder Dressing (Altrazeal Powder) and Photobiomodulation Therapy on the Healing of a Severe Diabetic Foot Ulcer in a Diabetic Patient: A Case Report

Weakened wound healing is a popular, severe complication of patients with diabetes which poses a risk for foot infection and amputation. Researchers have searched for new treatments for treating diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) in recent years. In this case report, for the first time, we applied photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) and Altrazeal powder together to treat a severe case of DFU in a 47-year-old woman who was suffering from type 1 diabetes. Along with the progress of combination therapy, we observed that the ulcer area was significantly reduced, and the wound healed within 16 weeks. Furthermore, dermatitis and purulent secretion were treated, and the pain was reduced. This reported case study indicated the beneficial effect of the combination of PBMT and Altrazeal powder for the healing of a severe DFU in a patient with type one diabetes. The combined application of PBMT plus Altrazeal powder demonstrated an additive effect. Further clinical trials in the clinical setting are suggested to validate the results further. Besides, more studies in preclinical models are suggested to find the mechanism of the action of combination therapy.