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Orlov A, Ciliberti M, Somma R, Gefen A. A robotic venous leg ulcer system reveals the benefits of negative pressure wound therapy in effective fluid handling. Int Wound J 2023; 21:e14426. [PMID: 37786996 PMCID: PMC10828725 DOI: 10.1111/iwj.14426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We applied a market-leading, single-use negative pressure wound therapy device to a robotic venous leg ulcer system and compared its fluid handling performance with that of standard of care, superabsorbent and foam dressings and compression therapy. For each tested product, we determined a metrics of retained, residual, evaporated and (potential) leaked fluid shares, for three exudate flow regimes representing different possible clinically relevant scenarios. The single-use negative pressure wound therapy system under investigation emerged as the leading treatment option in the aspects of adequate fluid handling and consistent delivery of therapeutic-level wound-bed pressures. The superabsorbent dressing performed reasonably in fluid handling (resulting in some pooling but no leakage), however, it quickly caused excessive wound-bed pressures due to swelling, after less than a day of simulated use. The foam dressing exhibited the poorest fluid handling performance, that is, pooling in the wound-bed as well as occasional leakage, indicating potential inflammation and peri-wound skin maceration risks under real-world clinical use conditions. These laboratory findings highlight the importance of advanced robotic technology as contemporary means to simulate patient and wound behaviours and inform selection of wound care technologies and products, in ways that are impossible to achieve if relying solely on clinical trials and experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksei Orlov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of EngineeringTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Marino Ciliberti
- Wound Care Centre (Centro Aziendale di Riparazione Tissutale)Castellammare di StabiaItaly
| | - Rosa Somma
- Wound Care Centre (Centro Aziendale di Riparazione Tissutale)Castellammare di StabiaItaly
| | - Amit Gefen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of EngineeringTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
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Gefen A, Alves P, Beeckman D, Lázaro-Martínez JL, Lev-Tov H, Najafi B, Swanson T, Woo K. Mechanical and contact characteristics of foam materials within wound dressings: Theoretical and practical considerations in treatment. Int Wound J 2022. [PMID: 36564958 DOI: 10.1111/iwj.14056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In the treatment of acute and chronic wounds, the clinical performance of a given foam-based dressing, and, ultimately, the wound healing and cost of care outcomes are strongly influenced by the mechanical performance of the foam material/s within that dressing. Most aspects of the mechanical performance of foam materials, for example, their stiffness, frictional properties, conformability, swelling characteristics and durability, and the overall mechanical protection provided by a foam-based dressing to a wound strongly depend on the microstructure of the foam components, particularly on their microtopography, density and porosity. This article, therefore, provides, for the first time, a comprehensive, self-inclusive compilation of clinically relevant theoretical and practical considerations, based on published analytical and experimental research as well as clinical experience related to the mechanical performance of foams in foam-based wound dressings. The current bioengineering information is useful for establishing understanding of the importance of mechanical properties of foams in foam-based dressings among clinicians and researchers in industry and academia, and other potential stakeholders in the wound care field, for example, regulators and buyers. This information is also particularly important for the development of standardised test methods for the evaluation of foam-based wound dressings and resulting standard mechanical performance metrics for these dressings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Gefen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Paulo Alves
- Wounds Research Lab - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, Catholic University of Portugal, Porto, Portugal
| | - Dimitri Beeckman
- Skin Integrity Research Group (SKINT), University Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Swedish Centre for Skin and Wound Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Health Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | | | - Hadar Lev-Tov
- Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Hospital Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Bijan Najafi
- Interdisciplinary Consortium on Advanced Motion Performance (iCAMP), Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Terry Swanson
- Wound Education Research Consultancy (WERC), Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kevin Woo
- School of Nursing, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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