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Background: Pressure sores significantly affect elderly patients, with the sacrum being especially vulnerable, often due to its proximity to the anus and potential for fecal contamination. Despite preventive measures such as frequent repositioning and specialized cushions, some sores still necessitate surgical intervention. Postoperative care focuses on monitoring, hygiene, and pressure alleviation. This study assessed the efficacy of Closed-Incision Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (CI-NPWT) for postoperative wound management in patients with sacral pressure sores treated with local flaps., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on sacral sore patients who underwent reconstructive surgery from March 2019 through April 2023. Surgical procedures involved debridement and wound coverage using gluteal artery perforator-based fasciocutaneous flaps, followed by postoperative monitoring. Patients were grouped into conventional monitoring or NPWT management, with the latter utilizing the INFOV.A.C. The therapy unit was calibrated to 125 mmHg. Data on patient demographics, flap metrics, fluid drainage amounts, and six-month postoperative outcomes were collected, and then analyzed with SPSS Statistics., Results: In this study of 52 patients with sacral pressure sores, the NPWT group (n = 25) showed significantly fewer flap complications and a lower drainage volume on the seventh postoperative day (mean 17.2 cc) compared to the conventional dressing group (mean 27.8 cc, P < 0.05). No postoperative complications were observed in the NPWT group, whereas the conventional group (n = 27) experienced one infection and three cases of dehiscence. Both groups achieved a 100% flap survival rate., Conclusion: Closed-incision negative pressure wound therapy (CI-NPWT) shows promise in reducing wound dehiscence and infection rates in elderly patients undergoing sacral pressure sore reconstruction with local flaps. However, further research with larger, randomized studies is needed to confirm its effectiveness as an alternative to conventional postoperative care., Trial Registration: The study was retrospectively registered by the Institutional Review Board of Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center (No. 20-2023-25, Date: Mar. 24 2023)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Pressure injuries (PIs) are among the most common skin and soft tissue wounds occurring in patients who are bedbound and/or immobile. PI management hinges on their prevention; however, reoccurrence poses a challenge to their management and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Here, the authors describe a lumbosacral rotation flap (LSRF) for the coverage of sacral PIs., Method: A single-centre, retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was carried out. All patients undergoing LSRF for sacral PIs were included. Patients with active systemic sepsis, immune compromise, hepatic or renal dysfunction were excluded. All patients underwent preoperative optimisation and wound cultures to direct antibiotic therapy after surgery., Results: A total of nine patients underwent the procedure (seven male and two female). Mean age was 47.6 years with a mean ulcer size of 92.9 cm 2 . Bone biopsy indicated the presence of osteomyelitis in three patients. Of the LSRFs, two flaps showed minimal local complications in the form of marginal flap necrosis which was managed conservatively. All flaps healed well with no cases of flap loss or the need for secondary procedures., Conclusion: The results of this analysis showed that LSRF can be considered a first line of treatment of sacral PIs. They can be used to cover large defects. Due to their large base and flap size, readvancement in cases of recurrence is also possible.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of combining autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for the repair of pressure ulcers. We included 90 patients with pressure ulcers from General Technology Gemstone Flower Healthcare Jilin City Hospital of Chemical Industry between January 2021 and December 2023. Patients were randomly assigned to either a control group or an observation group, with 45 patients in each. The control group received NPWT alone, while the observation group received a combination of PRP and NPWT. Outcomes were compared between the groups, including clinical efficacy, wound recovery time (infection control time, wound healing time, hospital stay), levels of inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, white blood cell count), pain scores (numerical rating scale), Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing scores, and incidence of complications. The observation group demonstrated a total effective rate of 95.56% (43/45), significantly higher than the control group's 80.00% (35/45) (P < .05). Additionally, the observation group had significantly shorter infection control times, wound healing times, and hospital stays (P < .05). Two weeks post-surgery, the observation group had significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and white blood cell count, as well as reduced numerical rating scale and Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing scores (P < .05). The incidence of complications was 6.67% (3/45) in the observation group compared to 33.33% (15/45) in the control group, with a significant difference (P < .05). Combining autologous PRP with NPWT significantly improves clinical outcomes, reduces inflammatory responses, decreases pain, accelerates wound healing, and lowers complication rates in patients with pressure ulcers., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Home healthcare is important for allowing patients to live their lives. However, home-care bedridden patients often experience pressure ulcers in the lower extremities, which can lead to life-threatening infections requiring decisions on the need for amputation. We herein report a patient with an infected lower-limb pressure ulcer with a history of spinal injury. The patient, his family, and the home-care physician repeatedly shared decision-making to deliver home-based treatment instead of amputation. Administration of wound dressing, AQUACEL ® Ag, led to complete epithelialization. Such shared decision-making and dressing were feasible in a home-care setting and broadened its scope.

Pressure ulcer dressings with different functions can enhance wound healing ability to varying degrees; however, pressure ulcer dressings that integrate various functions and break the resistance of bacteria to traditional antibiotics have not been widely studied. We proposed a self-pumping/super-absorbent/transportable drug dressing (PLD-SLD), polycaprolactone (PCL)/sodium alginate (SA) was used to load platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and lidocaine hydrochloride (LID) by Janus electrospinning and self-assembly technology, and Ɛ-polylysine was used as a biological bacteriostatic agent to prepare a multi-layer dressing. SEM showed that the dressing had a fluffy structure. The dressing can pump the exudate to the SA layer away from the skin. The swelling ratio reached 1378.667 ± 44.752 %. Coagulate blood in 5 min. On the 8th day, the unclosed area rate of the PLD-SLD dressing group was 16.112 ± 0.088 % lower than that of the model group. Importantly, the dressing can induce the expression of CD31, VEGF, α-SMA, and reduce the expression of CD68, thereby giving priority to wound healing. There was no scar formation after healing. In this study, a new dressing preparation method was proposed for the problems of exudate management, infection control, pain relief and healing promotion of stage 3-4 pressure ulcer healing., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Managing pelvic osteomyelitis (POM) in the setting of stage IV pressure injuries requires multidisciplinary evaluation as well as patient and caregiver engagement and is complicated by the lack of high-evidence data to guide best practices. In this review, we describe our approach to pressure injury and POM evaluation and management through multidisciplinary collaboration and highlight areas of future research that are necessary to enhance patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and improve the quality of life of those affected by POM., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest. M. M. M. acts as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for Eva Medtec (stock options only). All other authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this work. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Managing pelvic osteomyelitis (POM) in the setting of stage IV pressure injuries requires multidisciplinary evaluation as well as patient and caregiver engagement and is complicated by the lack of high-evidence data to guide best practices. In this review, we describe our approach to pressure injury and POM evaluation and management through multidisciplinary collaboration and highlight areas of future research that are necessary to enhance patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and improve the quality of life of those affected by POM., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest. M. M. M. acts as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for Eva Medtec (stock options only). All other authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this work. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: The most recent edition of the International Clinical Practice Guideline for the Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries was released in 2019. Shortly after, in 2020, the first edition of the SECURE Prevention expert panel report, focusing on device-related pressure ulcers/injuries, was published as a special issue in the Journal of Wound Care . A second edition followed in 2022. This article presents a comprehensive summary of the current understanding of the causes of pressure ulcers/injuries (PU/Is) as detailed in these globally recognised consensus documents., Method: The literature reviewed in this summary specifically addresses the impact of prolonged soft tissue deformations on the viability of cells and tissues in the context of PU/Is related to bodyweight or medical devices., Results: Prolonged soft tissue deformations initially result in cell death and tissue damage on a microscopic scale, potentially leading to development of clinical PU/Is over time. That is, localised high tissue deformations or mechanical stress concentrations can cause microscopic damage within minutes, but it may take several hours of continued mechanical loading for this initial cell and tissue damage to become visible and clinically noticeable. Superficial tissue damage primarily stems from excessive shear loading on fragile or vulnerable skin. In contrast, deeper PU/Is, known as deep tissue injuries, typically arise from stress concentrations in soft tissues at body regions over sharp or curved bony prominences, or under stiff medical devices in prolonged contact with the skin., Conclusion: This review promotes deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of PU/Is, indicating that their primary prevention should focus on alleviating the exposure of cells and tissues to stress concentrations. This goal can be achieved either by reducing the intensity of stress concentrations in soft tissues, or by decreasing the exposure time of soft tissues to such stress concentrations.

Due to an ageing population and prolonged lifespan, pressure injury (PI) incidence is increasing. Patients with a PI typically endure longer hospital stays, which create a significant burden on healthcare resources and costs. With appropriate preventive interventions, most PIs can be avoided; however, skin failure may become inevitable in particular instances. These are classified as unavoidable PIs. Patients in a critical condition are exposed to a unique set of therapies, medications and bodily states. Oftentimes, these instances decrease tissue tolerance, which may promote PI formation. Patients who are critically ill, especially those with extended stays in the intensive care unit, are susceptible to skin failure due to: prolonged immobility; mechanical ventilation; acute respiratory distress syndrome; COVID-19; sepsis; multiorgan system dysfunction; vasopressor use; and treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Poor perfusion leading to skin breakdown results from the compounding factors of circulatory collapse, build-up of metabolites, compromised lymphatic drainage, patient comorbidities, and ischaemia via capillary blockage in patients who are critically ill. In addition, similar physiology is present during end-of-life multisystem organ failure, which creates unavoidable skin deterioration. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of circumstances which decrease tissue tolerance and ultimately lead to PI development, despite adequate preventive measures in patients who are critically ill.

Objective: This case series examines the use of a multimodal wound matrix (MWM) trialled in a selection of clinical practice settings and on a variety of hard-to-heal wounds. The objective was to evaluate the effects of MWM and its performance in managing such wounds, regardless of clinical setting and ulcer type., Method: Treatment of the MWM was conducted by independent wound care practitioners on wounds that were of >4 weeks duration. Treatment was once a week. Assessment was taken after four weeks and at week 12 of the study to assess percentage area reduction (PAR) compared to baseline measurements taken at the first treatment visit. Complete (100%) re-epithelialisation was also recorded., Results: A total of 63 wounds were treated with MWM, and ulcer types were grouped as: diabetic foot ulcers (n=21); venous leg ulcers (n=18); pressure injuries (n=10); and others (n=14). Of the wounds, 78% had 100% re-epithelialisation, with an average PAR of 57% at four weeks and 86% at 12 weeks. The average time to resolution for those wounds that closed was 7.9 weeks., Conclusion: Results from this series of independent case studies support the application of MWM to potentially benefit healing in hard-to-heal wounds of different aetiologies of any duration and in a variety of clinical settings.

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., (© 2024 The Author(s). International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance collaboratively developed three editions of the International Clinical Practice Guidelines for preventing and treating pressure ulcers/injuries in 2009, 2014, and 2019. Dissemination and uptake of these guidelines are important to improve care. The aim of this work was to provide an updated and expanded citation analysis of the three published guidelines. Referencing formats, citation counts, and global distribution of citations of the 2009, 2014, and 2019 guidelines were searched in the citation database Scopus from 2009 to 2023. Duplicates were removed manually. The search identified 330 referencing formats with 2887 citations from 2009 to 2023 for the three guideline editions. Citations displayed geographical diversity, with citation peaks observed approximately 4 years after each edition's release and ongoing citations to the present. The International Clinical Practice Guidelines for preventing and treating pressure ulcers/injuries updated since 2009 were cited more than 2800 times in the scientific literature exceeding the thresholds of highly cited papers in the field of clinical medicine. This indicates successful dissemination worldwide., (© 2024 The Author(s). International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: High bacterial burden stalls wound healing and can quickly progress to infection and sepsis in complex, older-adult patients in long-term care (LTC) or skilled nursing facilities (SNFs)., Objective: To investigate the outcomes of point-of-care fluorescence (FL) imaging (MolecuLight i:X) of bacterial loads, which are frequently asymptomatic, to inform customized wound treatment plans for patients in LTC/SNFs., Methods: In this retrospective pre/postinterventional cohort study, the authors compared the healing and infection-associated outcomes of 167 pressure injuries from 100 Medicare beneficiaries before and after implementation of FL imaging., Results: Most patient demographics and wound characteristics did not differ significantly between the standard-of-care (SOC; n = 71 wounds) and FL (n = 96 wounds) cohorts. Significantly more wounds (+71.0%) healed by 12 weeks in the FL cohort (38.5%) versus the SoC cohort (22.5%). Wounds in the FL cohort also healed 27.7% faster (-4.8 weeks), on average, and were 1.4 times more likely to heal per Kaplan-Meier survival analysis (hazard ratio = 1.40; 95% CI, 0.90-2.12). Infection-related complications decreased by 75.3% in the FL cohort, and a significant shift from largely systemic to topical antibiotic prescribing was evidenced., Conclusions: Fluorescence-imaging-guided management of wounds significantly improved healing and infection outcomes in highly complex and multimorbid patients in LTC/SNFs. Proactive bacterial infection management via local treatments was enabled by earlier, objective detection. These reported outcome improvements are comparable to randomized controlled trials and cohort studies from less compromised, selectively controlled outpatient populations. Fluorescence imaging supports proactive monitoring and management of planktonic and biofilm-encased bacteria, improving patient care in a complex, real-world setting., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: This study uses an interpretive description approach to explore nurses' experiences with pressure sore care in long-term care facilities, highlighting the complexity of their encounters., Methods: 10 experienced nurses from South Korean small to medium-sized hospitals were chosen via purposive sampling for interviews. Data analysis utilized Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis., Results: The study's findings collectively reflect the intricate journey of nurses in Long-term care facilities as they grapple with the challenges of pressure sore care. These nurses transform their perception of pressure sores, encountering a dynamic shift in their understanding. They face multifaceted challenges in providing optimal care, marked by resource constraints and the absence of standardized guidelines. Emotionally, they navigate a complex terrain of sentiments, oscillating between feelings of accomplishment and helplessness. Despite these hurdles, they persistently strive for excellence in pressure sore nursing, driven by an unwavering commitment to delivering the best possible care within the confines of their healthcare environment., Conclusion: The study enhances understanding of pressure sore care in long-term facilities and suggests avenues for improving nursing practices and care quality through targeted interventions.

Purpose: The management of pressure ulcers (PUs) poses challenges due to their chronic nature and the lack of established conservative treatment methods. In this clinical trial, our objective was to examine the validity and safety of using a light-emitting diode device contained four wavelengths in the treatment of grade 2 sacral PUs., Method: A total of 38 patients were randomly assigned to two groups: sham device (Sham) and experimental device (LED) group. The treatment sessions were conducted over a period of four weeks, with a frequency of three times per week. The study was conducted in a double-blinded manner. The study assessed the primary validity by measuring wound size and re-epithelialization after 0 and 4 weeks. Secondary evaluations included epidermal regeneration, collagen density, and immunological markers. Safety was evaluated by monitoring adverse reactions throughout the trial., Result: The presence of eschar was found to have a significant impact on wound healing. Sham consisted of 15 wounds without eschar, while LED had nine. After treatment in without eschar situation, the post-treatment size of wounds in Sham was 13.80 ± 20.29%, while it was 3.52 ± 6.68% in LED. However, there was no significant difference (p = 0.070). And analysis of epidermal thickness showed a significant increase in LED (495.62 ± 327.09 μm) compared to Sham (195.36 ± 263.04 μm) (p < 0.0001)., Conclusion: While LED treatment had a potential for wound reduction in PUs without eschar, we could not uncover evidence to support the efficacy of LED treatment in grade 2 PUs., Competing Interests: Choi YW is a chief executive officer and has stock in Linkoptics corporation. our competing interests do not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. However, the data are not publicly available due to ethical and legal restrictions because data contain potentially identifying patient information. Therefore, data may be accessed upon authorization from the Institutional Review Board that may be contacted through ‘chyohu@dkuh.co.kr’, (Copyright: © 2024 Lim et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Pressure ulcers (PU) are caused by persistent long-term pressure, which compromises the integrity of the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous adipose tissue layer by layer, making it difficult to heal. Platelet products such as platelet lysate (PL) can promote tissue regeneration by secreting numerous growth factors based on clinical studies on skin wound healing. However, the components of PL are difficult to retain in wounds. Gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) is a photopolymerizable hydrogel that has lately emerged as a promising material for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The PL liquid was extracted, flow cytometrically detected for CD41a markers, and evenly dispersed in the GelMA hydrogel to produce a surplus growth factor hydrogel system (PL@GM). The microstructure of the hydrogel system was observed under a scanning electron microscope, and its sustained release efficiency and biological safety were tested in vitro. Cell viability and migration of human dermal fibroblasts, and tube formation assays of human umbilical vein endothelial cells were applied to evaluate the ability of PL to promote wound healing and regeneration in vitro. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blot analyses were performed to elucidate the skin regeneration mechanism of PL. We verified PL's therapeutic effectiveness and histological analysis on the PU model. PL promoted cell viability, migration, wound healing and angiogenesis in vitro. Real-time PCR and western blot indicated PL suppressed inflammation and promoted collagen I synthesis by activating STAT3. PL@GM hydrogel system demonstrated optimal biocompatibility and favorable effects on essential cells for wound healing. PL@GM also significantly stimulated PU healing, skin regeneration, and the formation of subcutaneous collagen and blood vessels. PL@GM could accelerate PU healing by promoting fibroblasts to migrate and secrete collagen and endothelial cells to vascularize. PL@GM promises to be an effective and convenient treatment modality for PU, like chronic wound treatment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: This work explores concurrent optical and magnetic stimulation (COMS) effects on hard-to-heal wounds in real-world settings., Method: In this case series, participants received COMS 1-3 times per week for up to 12 weeks alongside standard wound care., Results: A total of 27 patients (18 female and nine male) were included. Mean age was 72 years. Participants' wounds that were unresponsive to standard wound care included: venous leg ulcers (VLUs, n=13); mixed leg ulcers (MLUs, n=4); diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs, n=1); pressure ulcers (PUs, n=5); and traumatic wounds (TWs, n=4). On average, COMS was applied twice a week, resulting in an overall mean wound area reduction of 69%. In 24 participants, COMS was used primarily to achieve wound closure by the end of the 12-week period, of which: 12 were classified as complete wound closure (50%; VLUs=8, PUs=3 and TW=1); four as likely-to-heal (17%; VLUs=2 and MLUs=2); four as 'improved' (17%; MLU=1, DFU=1 and TWs=2); and four as 'non-responding' (17%; VLUs=3 and MLU=1). The best results were achieved in PUs and VLUs (respectively 100% and 62% categorised as completely healed). When used in participants where its purpose was other than that of achieving wound closure, COMS was successfully used to debride two PUs, and for wound bed preparation in one TW., Conclusion: In this case series, COMS showed positive effects and appeared to be beneficial in healing different types of hard-to-heal wounds in community health and homecare settings. Novel COMS therapy aspects emerged: (1) positive outcomes for PU and VLU treatment; (2) COMS as a potential debridement tool when sharp debridement is unfeasible; and (3) COMS as a promising method to prepare wound beds for subsequent skin grafting or skin replacement procedures.

Background: A new indication for use of silver collagen oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC) dressing in conjunction with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) and reticulated open cell foam (ROCF) dressings has recently become available., Objective: An in-person meeting with 7 health care providers (HCPs) was held to identify clinical care settings and appropriate use of silver collagen ORC dressings in conjunction with NPWT and ROCF dressings., Methods: Consensus statements were developed using a modified Delphi technique. An additional 25 HCPs completed an anonymous survey on the consensus statements. Consensus was defined as ≥80% agreement among survey respondents., Results: Use of silver collagen ORC dressings with NPWT and ROCF dressings was recommended in inpatient and outpatient health care settings. Use in traumatic wounds, surgical wounds, diabetic ulcers, venous leg ulcers, and pressure injuries/ulcers was supported. Use was not recommended in the presence of exposed unprotected organs or exposed unprotected vessels, when the potential for inadequate wound hemostasis exists, acutely ischemic wounds, third-degree burns, or surgically closed incisions, or with patient hypersensitivity to product components., Conclusions: Limited evidence exists on use of NPWT in conjunction with silver collagen ORC dressings. A panel developed 12 consensus statements detailing the recommended and contraindicated uses of NPWT in conjunction with silver collagen ORC dressings.

Background: Wound healing typically occurs in 4 sequential stages: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. During the proliferation stage, the wound undergoes granulation, angiogenesis, and epithelialization. Granulation involves the growth of connective tissue and blood vessels to fill the wound space. Granulation tissue provides a scaffold for subsequent tissue regeneration, supports angiogenesis, and aids in wound contraction. Classically, it also supports epithelialization. The timing and extent of granulation and epithelialization may vary depending on the size and type of wound. In certain cases, especially with superficial wounds or partial-thickness injuries, the intact blood supply from deeper tissue layers may be sufficient to support epithelialization without significant granulation tissue formation. However, this pathway has not been described for full-thickness wounds., Case Reports: The current case report describes wound healing in 2 patients with multiple comorbidities who presented with nonhealing stage IV pressure injuries. After extensive therapy, reepithelialization and wound healing occurred without typical granulation tissue formation., Conclusion: The achievement of epithelialization without prior granulation may suggest the existence of an alternative wound healing pathway for full-thickness wounds in which epithelialization occurs independent of robust granulation.

Abstract: Chronic wounds, including those caused by venous and arterial insufficiency, diabetic complications, and pressure-induced ulcers, pose significant treatment challenges. Negative pressure wound therapy has been increasingly used for managing these wounds. This treatment aims to promote wound healing, prepare the wound bed for further surgical intervention, minimize the risk of infection, and potentially shorten the time to wound healing. Considering variances in techniques applied in different regions globally, there is an emerging need to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy on chronic wounds. Unfortunately, detailed descriptions of the techniques applied to achieve negative pressure are often lacking in existing literature abstracts, posing challenges for direct comparisons. This review aims to analyze the application of negative pressure wound therapy in the treatment of chronic wounds, summarize its advantages and disadvantages, and further explore the potential value and future research direction of negative pressure wound therapy in the repair of chronic wounds., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest and sources of funding: none declared., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Skin disorders among individuals receiving palliative care may be associated with the primary condition or underlying comorbidities and patients may experience pruritus, discomfort or pain. Common conditions include xerosis, pressure ulcers, intertrigo, superficial fungal infections, telogen effluvium, pruritus, herpes zoster, eczematous disorders and edema. During end-of-life care, there is reduced skin perfusion and metabolism hence leading to susceptibility to infection, pressure and injury. Other factors affecting the skin include limited mobility, nutritional deficits and immunosuppression. Although treatment strategies for each skin condition are usually aligned with standard protocols, considerations among these patients include limited life-expectancies, potential treatment burden, drug-drug interactions as well as comfort-directed rather than cure-directed therapy. For patients with xerosis cutis, the regular use of moisturisers is recommended. The management and prevention of pressure ulcers include the strategies of skin assessment and care, pressure redistribution, nutrition and hydration and ulcer care. Superficial fungal infections require treatment with appropriate topical and/or systemic antifungals while antivirals and adjunctive treatment can be prescribed for herpes zoster. Treatment and symptom control of skin disorders in this population can improve quality of life and patients' comfort level., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: The increasing aging population presents a significant challenge, accompanied by a shortage of professional caregivers, adding to the therapeutic burden. Clinical decision support systems, utilizing computerized clinical guidelines, can improve healthcare quality, reduce expenses, save time, and boost caregiver efficiency., Objectives: 1) Develop and evaluate an automated quality assessment (QA) system for retrospective longitudinal care quality analysis, focusing on clinical staff adherence to evidence-based guidelines (GLs). 2) Assess the system's technical feasibility and functional capability for senior nurse use in geriatric pressure-ulcer management., Methods: A computational QA system using our Quality Assessment Temporal Patterns (QATP) methodology was designed and implemented. Our methodology transforms the GL's procedural-knowledge into declarative-knowledge temporal-abstraction patterns representing the expected execution trace in the patient's data for correct therapy application. Fuzzy temporal logic allows for partial compliance, reflecting individual and grouped action performance considering their values and temporal aspects. The system was tested using a pressure ulcer treatment GL and data from 100 geriatric patients' Electronic Medical Records (EMR). After technical evaluation for accuracy and feasibility, an extensive functional evaluation was conducted by an experienced nurse, comparing QA scores with and without system support, and versus automated system scores. Time efficiency was also measured., Results: QA scores from the geriatric nurse, with and without system's support, did not significantly differ from those provided by the automated system (p < 0.05), demonstrating the effectiveness and reliability of both manual and automated methods. The system-supported manual QA process reduced scoring time by approximately two-thirds, from an average of 17.3 min per patient manually to about 5.9 min with the system's assistance, highlighting the system's efficiency potential in clinical practice., Conclusion: The QA system based on QATP, produces scores consistent with an experienced nurse's assessment for complex care over extended periods. It enables quick and accurate quality care evaluation for multiple patients after brief training. Such automated QA systems may empower nursing staff, enabling them to manage more patients, accurately and consistently, while reducing costs due to saved time and effort, and enhanced compliance with evidence-based guidelines., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pressure injuries are a common chronic wound in the older adult. Care of pressure injuries is an interprofessional effort and involves physicians, nurses, registered dieticians, rehabilitation therapists, and surgical subspecialties. Numerous treatment modalities exist but have varying evidence to substantiate their efficacy. All primary and other care providers, particularly geriatricians, need to be aware of current evidence-based prevention and treatment standards. When healing is not expected, palliative care should be considered to avoid futile procedures and preserve dignity and quality of life., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have no financial disclosures., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Dendritic epidermal T cells (DETCs) have been shown to promote wound healing. However, the mechanisms involved need to be better understood. In the present study, we investigated the role and mechanism of DETCs in deep tissue pressure injury (DTPI). We established the DTPI model using C57BL/6 mice. Then, DTPI was evaluated and analyzed by histological staining, immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR, Western blotting, and flow cytometry in different treatment groups (DETCs, DETCs/gel, Matrigel, Saline, and Normal group). The results showed that insulin-like growth factor 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor-A expression increased after local DETCs and DETCs/gel implantation in DTPI on days 3 and 7. M1 (inducible nitric oxide synthas-marked) macrophages were predominant at 3 days after DTPI. At 7 days, M1 macrophages were decreased, and M2 (CD206-marked) macrophages were increased in the DETCs and DETCs/gel groups. In vitro, in the co-culture of DETCs and RAW264.7, CD206 expression was significantly increased in M2 macrophages. In addition, Interleukin-17A initially inhibited wound healing 1 day after injury. However, it promoted wound healing at 7, 14, and 21 days after treatment with DETCs and DETCs/gel, respectively. In conclusion, our data suggest that exogenous DETCs improve DTPI wound healing by regulating M1 to M2 macrophage polarization., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare no conflict of interests in the submission of this manuscript, and the manuscript has been read and approved for submission by all authors. On behalf of my co-authors, I declare that the work described is our own original research that has not been published previously, and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, in whole or in part., (Copyright © 2024 Tissue Viability Society / Society of Tissue Viability. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Financial disclosure statements have been obtained, and no conflicts of interest have been reported by the authors or by any individuals in control of the content of this article.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate predictors of pressure injury (PrI) outcomes at one year after discharge for Veterans with spinal cord injury (SCI) hospitalized with a Stage 3 or 4 PrI., Design/setting/participants: This is a retrospective medical record review from one VA Health Care System SCI unit. Participants were Veterans with traumatic or non-traumatic SCI admitted with one Stage 3 or 4 pelvic PrI treated medically (e.g. without flap surgery). Logistic models were used to select the significant predictors of PrI healing outcomes., Outcome Measure: One year after discharge wound outcomes (healed vs non-healed) for Veterans with SCI hospitalized with a Stage 3 or 4 PrI., Results: A total of 62 hospitalizations were included for analyses resulting in 33 healed and 29 non-healed PrIs. Three significant predictors of non-healed PrI outcomes included use of pressure mapping during hospitalization, greater PrI depth, and usage of alginate dressings. Two significant predictors of healed PrI outcomes included the use of animal-based tissue and hydrocolloid dressings. Area under curve of this logistic regression model was 79.98%., Conclusion: The clinical decision of having a patient pressure mapped predicts that the PrI may not heal at one year of discharge. Pressure mapping protocol correlated with another variable that could not serve as a predictor by itself, including using powered pressure relief techniques. The three PrI treatment predictors may represent characteristics of the PrI itself, rather than the efficacy of the product. Further investigation on these clinical decision-making factors is warranted to ensure efficient and cost-effective treatment strategies for individuals with SCI hospitalized with PrIs.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of pressure ulcers (PUs) in patients treated for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) and to evaluate comorbid/confounding factors., Method: The study included patients treated for AIS who were divided into three treatment groups: those receiving intravenous tissue plasminogen activator therapy (tPA); patients receiving mechanical thrombectomy (MT); and those receiving both tPA and MT. PUs were classified according to the international classification system and factors that may influence their development were investigated., Results: A total of 242 patients were included in this study. The incidence of PUs in patients treated for AIS was 7.4%. Most PUs were located on the sacrum (3.7%), followed by the gluteus (3.3%) and trochanter (2.9%). With regards to PU classification: 29% were stage I; 34% were stage II; and the remainder were stage III. Age was not a significant factor in the development of PUs (p=0.172). Patients in the tPA group had a lower PU incidence (2.3%) than patients in the tPA+MT group (15.7%) and MT group (12.1%) (p=0.001). Patients with PUs had a longer period of hospitalisation (18.5±11.92 days) than patients without a PU (8.0±8.52 days) (p=0.000). National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores at admission were higher in patients with PUs than in patients without a PU (14.33±4.38 versus 11.08±5.68, respectively; p=0.010). The difference in presence of comorbidities between patients with and without PUs (p=0.922) and between treatment groups (p=0.677) were not statistically significant. The incidence of PUs was higher in patients requiring intensive care, but this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.089)., Conclusion: In this study, patients treated for AIS with high NIHSS scores at admission and/or receiving MT were at higher risk for PUs, and so particular attention should be given to these patients in order to prevent PU development.

In proper skin healing, inflammation will stop once the harmful microbes are removed. However, an excess and prolongation of inflammation can result in delayed healing. Thus, interventions that can limit the amount of inflammation can help promote wound healing. The use of olive oil in wound therapy has been of great interest. Herein, we will review studies that investigated the use of olive oil on diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, perineal ulcers, and chronic ulcers.

Introduction: The healthcare costs for treatment of community-acquired decubitus ulcers accounts for $11.6 billion in the United States annually. Patients with stage 3 and 4 decubitus ulcers are often treated inefficiently prior to reconstructive surgery while physicians attempt to optimize their condition (debridement, fecal/urinary diversion, physical therapy, nutrition, and obtaining durable medical goods). We hypothesized that hospital costs for inpatient optimization of decubitus ulcers would significantly differ from outpatient optimization costs, resulting in significant financial losses to the hospital and that transitioning optimization to an outpatient setting could reduce both total and hospital expenditures. In this study, we analyzed and compared the financial expenditures of optimizing patients with decubitus ulcers in an inpatient setting versus maximizing outpatient utilization of resources prior to reconstruction., Methods: Encounters of patients with stage 3 or 4 decubitus ulcers over a 5-year period were investigated. These encounters were divided into two groups: Group 1 included patients who were optimized totally inpatient prior to reconstructive surgery; group 2 included patients who were mostly optimized in an outpatient setting and this encounter was a planned admission for their reconstructive surgery. Demographics, comorbidities, paralysis status, and insurance carriers were collected for all patients. Financial charges and reimbursements were compared among the groups., Results: Forty-five encounters met criteria for inclusion. Group 1's average hospital charges were $500,917, while group 2's charges were $134,419. The cost of outpatient therapeutic items for patient optimization prior to wound closure was estimated to be $10,202 monthly. When including an additional debridement admission for group 2 patients (average of $108,031), the maximal charges for total care was $252,652, and hospital reimbursements were similar between group 1 and group 2 ($65,401 vs $50,860 respectively)., Conclusions: The data derived from this investigation strongly suggests that optimizing patients in an outpatient setting prior to decubitus wound closure versus managing the patients totally on an inpatient basis will significantly reduce hospital charges, and hence costs, while minimally affecting reimbursements to the hospital., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest and sources of funding: none declared., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background Aims: Wound healing is a multistage process that requires a concerted effort of various cell types. The intricate processes involved in the healing of wounds result in high energy requirements. Furthermore, mitochondria play a crucial role in the healing process because of their involvement in neo angiogenesis, growth factor synthesis, and cell differentiation. It is unclear how mitochondria transplantation, a promising new approach, influences wound healing., Methods: In this study, healthy autologous mitochondria obtained from skeletal muscle were injected into chronic pressure wounds as an intervention to promote wound healing., Results: Mitochondrial transplantation accelerated wound healing by reducing wound size, increasing granulation tissue, and hastening epithelialization., Conclusions: This study is the first to demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of mitochondrial transplantation in wound healing., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors state that they have no known conflicting financial interests or personal relationships in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pressure ulcers account for a substantial fraction of hospital-acquired pathology, with consequent morbidity and economic cost. Treatments are largely focused on preventing further injury, whereas interventions that facilitate healing remain limited. Intermittent electrical stimulation (IES) increases local blood flow and redistributes pressure from muscle-bone interfaces, thus potentially reducing ulcer progression and facilitating healing., Methods: The Pressure Injury Treatment by Intermittent Electrical Stimulation (PROTECT-2) trial will be a parallel-arm multicenter randomized trial to test the hypothesis that IES combined with routine care reduces sacral and ischial pressure injury over time compared to routine care alone. We plan to enroll 548 patients across various centers. Hospitalized patients with stage 1 or stage 2 sacral or ischial pressure injuries will be randomized to IES and routine care or routine care alone. Wound stage will be followed until death, discharge, or the development of an exclusion criteria for up to 3 months. The primary endpoint will be pressure injury score measured over time., Discussion: Sacral and ischial pressure injuries present a burden to hospitalized patients with both clinical and economic consequences. The PROTECT-2 trial will evaluate whether IES is an effective intervention and thus reduces progression of stage 1 and stage 2 sacral and ischial pressure injuries., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05085288 Registered October 20, 2021., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Abstract: This case report reviews the effect of combining a 250-cc bottle of standard antimicrobial, buffered sodium hypochlorite with a surgical method, low-pressure jet lavage irrigation in the outpatient setting to control difficult wound contamination. A 73-year-old man had been in treatment for over 8 years, undergoing at least 18 surgical wound debridement procedures for an extensive undermined pelvic pressure injury involving the sacrum, ischium, and greater trochanter. Cultures and polymerase chain reaction diagnostics revealed a multibacterial presence. Autofluorescent imaging (AFI) was used in 21 examinations performed after a 72-hour delay over a long weekend. The AFI contamination exceeded log 4 colony-forming units/g of tissue in all pretreatment examinations and was reduced to less than log 2 colony-forming units in 6 of 21 examinations, with the remaining 15 showing an estimated 80% or higher removal of the bacterial porphyrin "red" appearance. A total of 54 AFI examinations were performed using the combination treatment, and no adverse reactions were encountered. Treatment paradigms can be improved with a multifactorial approach., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Hemodialysis (HD) and pressure injuries (PI) are both hypercatabolic states that may contribute to protein-energy wasting development. These conditions require increased energy and protein to prevent losses from HD and support wound healing. Nutrition support therapy using intradialytic parenteral nutrition (IDPN) with or without a combination of oral nutrition supplements has yielded positive outcomes among patients receiving HD with protein-energy wasting. However, IDPN is not a standard of care for patients with PI and receiving HD. No existing guidelines support its use with these combined complex medical conditions. We present a case of an older adult with PI receiving HD who required supplemental IDPN. This case demonstrated that IDPN helps wound healing, reduces the hospital length of stay, and enhances quality of life., (Copyright © 2023 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pressure injuries (PI) are a significant source of morbidity for individuals with spinal cord injury/disease (SCI/D). They are also associated with significant healthcare resource utilization including prolonged hospitalizations. However, the long-term outcomes in terms of wound recurrence-free survival, hospital readmission rates, and all-cause mortality in this population remain largely unknown., Objective: To examine the clinical characteristics, healthcare utilization and outcomes of SCI Veterans hospitalized at the VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS) SCI inpatient unit with stage 3 and 4 PI, and compare these between those who received a myocutaneous flap surgery (flap patients (FP)) and those treated medically (non-flap patients (NFP))., Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of all adult patients admitted to the VANTHCS SCI/D unit with stage 3 or 4 pelvic PI between 1/1/2013 and 12/31/2018. Healthcare utilization and outcome information was extracted for pre-specified time points., Results: 78 patients met criteria (113 hospitalizations; 27 FP; 51 NFP). Average length of stay (LOS) was 122 days; FP had a significantly higher LOS than NFP (P = 0.01). Average number of consults was 24. Estimated cost per hospitalization was $175,198. Readmission rate within 30 days was 12.39%. The mortality rate within 1 year of discharge was 21.57% for NFP, as opposed to 3.70% in the FP group. Only 5.00% of NFP wounds were healed at discharged with sustained healing at 1 year, significantly less than FP wounds (55.26%, P < 0.01)., Conclusions: Despite the high investment in terms of healthcare utilization, outcomes in terms of wound healing are poor. Additionally, nearly 22% of NFP died within one year of discharge. This calls into question the utility of prolonged hospitalizations for PI in the SCI/D population in terms of wound treatment efficacy, healthcare costs, and patient morbidity/mortality.

Purpose: Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a beneficial adjunct modality for chronic wounds. Limited research has been conducted on pressure ulcers (PUs), while the majority of studies have focused on diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and venous leg ulcers (VLUs). This study aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of radial ESWT in older adults with chronic wounds., Patients and Methods: This study involved a total of 31 wounds: PUs (n=22), VLUs (n=7), and DFUs (n=2). A single radial ESWT was performed with 300 + 100 shocks per cm 2 , pressure of 2.5 bar, energy of 0.15 mJ/mm 2 , and frequency of 5 Hz. Assessments using digital planimetry and clinical methods, utilizing the Wound Bed Score (WBS) and the Bates-Jansen Wound Assessment Tool (BWAT) were performed before the radial ESWT application (M0) and one week after (M1)., Results: A significant wound decrease in planimetry was noted (pre-ESWT vs post-ESWT), with wound area from 9.4 cm 2 to 6.2 cm 2 , length from 6.4 cm to 3.9 cm, and width from 2.8 cm to 2.1 cm (p<0.001). Additionally, a substantial clinical improvement was noted in both the WBS with a 31.25% increase and the BWAT with a 20.00% increase (p<0.001). It was also found a significant correlation between the planimetric and clinical outcomes for both tools: WBS (r=-0.446, p=0.012) and BWAT (r=0.327, p=0.073)., Conclusion: The ESWT application yields substantial immediate clinical effects that support the healing of chronic wounds in older adults. Even a single ESWT session can prove to be clinically effective and beneficial in the management of chronic wounds., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 Dymarek et al.)

Aim: To determine the effectiveness of bilayered living cellular construct (BLCC) versus a fetal bovine collagen dressing (FBCD) in pressure injuries (PRIs). Methods: A real-world data study was conducted on 1352 PRIs analyzed digitally. 1046 and 306 PRIs were treated with BLCC and FBCD, respectively. Results: Cox healing for BLCC (n = 1046) was significantly greater (p < 0.0001) at week 4 (13 vs 7%), 8 (29 vs 17%), 12 (42 vs 27%), 24 (64 vs 45%), and 36 (73 vs 56%). The probability of healing increased by 66%, (hazard ratio = 1.66 [95% CI (1.38, 2.00)]; p < 0.0001. Time to healing was 162 days for FBCD and 103 days for BLCC showing a 36% reduction in time to healing with BLCC; (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: BLCC significantly improved healing of PRIs versus FBCD.

A limited understanding of the pathology underlying chronic wounds has hindered the development of effective diagnostic markers and pharmaceutical interventions. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular composition of various common chronic ulcer types to facilitate drug discovery strategies. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of leg ulcers (LUs), encompassing venous and arterial ulcers, foot ulcers (FUs), pressure ulcers (PUs), and compared them with surgical wound healing complications (WHCs). To explore the pathophysiological mechanisms and identify similarities or differences within wounds, we dissected wounds into distinct subregions, including the wound bed, border, and peri-wound areas, and compared them against intact skin. By correlating histopathology, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), and immunohistochemistry (IHC), we identified unique genes, pathways, and cell type abundance patterns in each wound type and subregion. These correlations aim to aid clinicians in selecting targeted treatment options and informing the design of future preclinical and clinical studies in wound healing. Notably, specific genes, such as PITX1 and UPP1, exhibited exclusive upregulation in LUs and FUs, potentially offering significant benefits to specialists in limb preservation and clinical treatment decisions. In contrast, comparisons between different wound subregions, regardless of wound type, revealed distinct expression profiles. The pleiotropic chemokine-like ligand GPR15L (C10orf99) and transmembrane serine proteases TMPRSS11A/D were significantly upregulated in wound border subregions. Interestingly, WHCs exhibited a nearly identical transcriptome to PUs, indicating clinical relevance. Histological examination revealed blood vessel occlusions with impaired angiogenesis in chronic wounds, alongside elevated expression of genes and immunoreactive markers related to blood vessel and lymphatic epithelial cells in wound bed subregions. Additionally, inflammatory and epithelial markers indicated heightened inflammatory responses in wound bed and border subregions and reduced wound bed epithelialization. In summary, chronic wounds from diverse anatomical sites share common aspects of wound pathophysiology but also exhibit distinct molecular differences. These unique molecular characteristics present promising opportunities for drug discovery and treatment, particularly for patients suffering from chronic wounds. The identified diagnostic markers hold the potential to enhance preclinical and clinical trials in the field of wound healing., (© 2023 Novartis Biomedical Research and The Authors. International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Pressure ulcers are one of the leading complications in bedridden patients that result in multiple burdens on healthcare systems and patients (11 billion dollars/year). The prevalence of pressure ulcers in traumatic brain injury patients is 1.5-fold compared with the other bedridden patients. Moreover, critical traumatic brain injury patients who are admitted to the intensive care unit experience severe pressure ulcers and further complications. The motor/sensory disabilities and low supplementation and oxygenation to the pressured side were the main mechanisms of the typical pressure ulcers. Intellectual evaluation is the first essential step to prevent the development of pressure ulcers in high-risk patients. Till now, different scales, including Injury Scale Score and Braden Scale Score, have been provided to assess the pressure ulcer. Since low stages of pressure ulcers heal rapidly, traumatic brain injury patients require a periodical assessment to prevent further developments timely. Alongside different procedures provided to prevent and treat any pressure ulcer, traumatic brain injury patients required additional specific protections. For the first line, fast and efficient rehabilitation repairs motor/sensory disabilities and decreases the chance of pressure ulcer. Our review indicated that pressure ulcer in traumatic brain injury had several complex mechanisms that demand special care. Therefore, further studies are required to address these mechanisms and prevent their progression to typical and atypical pressure ulcers., (© 2024 The Authors. International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Chronic wounds include lower extremity ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and pressure injuries, and can take months or years to heal. Wounds place a high burden on outpatient and inpatient care settings. This burden is expected to increase markedly in the United States as the population ages and with increased rates of diabetes, obesity, and COVID-19., Purpose: To articulate the effect of chronic, hard-to-heal wounds on acute care facilities, and how a few days of inpatient care can have a significant effect on the healing trajectory., Methods: An expert panel of 7 members, all with extensive knowledge and experience in the assessment and treatment of chronic wounds in an acute care setting, was convened in March 2022. The panel discussed the role of hospitals as part of the longer-term healing pathway of chronic wounds., Results: Chronic wounds have a significant effect on hospitals that includes unseen costs, bed occupancy, demands on bedside nurses, and wound complications that lead to extended stays or readmissions. A successful inpatient wound program offers appropriate identification of previously undiagnosed wounds, elevation of bedside care through simplified protocols, quickly and easily understood education and easy dressing selection, and comprehensive discharge planning with a multidisciplinary team for continuity of care and reduced risk of readmission., Conclusion: Hospitals can play a key role in the management of chronic wounds, thus reducing the effect on each facility and the wider care network.

Abstract: The National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, and the Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance are commencing a new (fourth) edition of the Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline . The fourth edition of the International Pressure Injury (PI) Guideline will be developed using GRADE methods to ensure a rigorous process consistent with evolving international standards. Clinical questions will address prevention and treatment of PIs, identification of individuals at risk of PIs, assessment of skin and tissues, and PI assessment. Implementation considerations supporting application of the guidance in clinical practice will be developed. The guideline development process will be overseen by a guideline governance group and methodologist; the guideline development team will include health professionals, educators, researchers, individuals with or at risk of PIs, and informal carers.This article presents the project structure and processes to be used to undertake a systematic literature search, appraise risk of bias of the evidence, and aggregate research findings. The methods detail how certainty of evidence will be evaluated; presentation of relative benefits, risks, feasibility, acceptability, and resource requirements; and how recommendations will be made and graded. The methods outline transparent processes of development that combine scientific research with best clinical practice. Strong involvement from health professionals, educators, individuals with PIs, and informal carers will enhance the guideline's relevance and facilitate uptake. This update builds on previous editions to ensure consistency and comparability, with methodology changes improving the guideline's quality and clarity., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

To evaluate the effect of predictive nursing interventions on pressure ulcers in elderly bedridden patients by meta-analysis. Applied computer searches of PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang databases for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on the effect of predictive nursing in preventing pressure ulcers in elderly bedridden patients from the database inception to November 2023. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data and performed quality assessment based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Stata 17.0 software was utilised for data analysis. Eighteen RCTs involving 6504 patients were finally included. The analysis revealed the implementation of predictive nursing interventions had a significant advantage in reducing the incidence of pressure ulcers in elderly bedridden patients compared with conventional nursing (odds ratio [OR] = 0.20, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.15-0.28, p < 0.001), while the patients' satisfaction with nursing care was higher (OR = 3.70, 95% CI: 2.99-4.57, p < 0.001). This study shows that the implementation of a predictive nursing interventions for elderly bedridden patients can effectively reduce the occurrence of pressure ulcers and significantly improve patients' satisfaction with nursing care, which is worthy of clinical promotion and application., (© 2024 The Authors. International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

We aimed to assess the quality and reliability of pressure injury-related videos uploaded on YouTube, analyse the sources and contents, and examine the correlation between video parameters. We searched YouTube using two keywords, "pressure ulcer" and "pressure sore", on August 20, 2022. We sorted the videos according to their number of views and included the top 100 videos for each keyword. The quality of videos was assessed using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), while their reliability was evaluated by the modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) tool. In addition, we evaluated the videos in which content was included, analysed the correlations and differences between GQS, mDISCERN, and video parameters. We initially found a total of 100 videos for each keyword and finally included and analysed 77 videos. The mean scores for the mDISCERN and GQS were 2.35 ± 0.98 and 3.09 ± 0.99, respectively. Both GQS and mDISCERN showed statistically significant correlations with each other (rho = 0.54, p < 0.0001*) and with the length of the videos, respectively (rho = 0.36, p = 0.001*), (rho = 0.29, p = 0.01*). Of the videos created by physicians, 8 (57.1%) included content related to treatment, while of the videos created by nonphysician health personnel, 22 (57.9%) included content related to prevention. Analysing whether there were differences in video parameters based on the sources, we observed significant differences between sources in GQS (p < 0.0001*), mDISCERN (p < 0.0001*), and video length (p = 0.001*). In the post-hoc analysis, videos uploaded by physicians or nonphysician health personnel showed higher quality and reliability than videos uploaded by other sources. Therefore, the results of this study could be useful for healthcare providers, as well as patients and caregivers, to search for high-quality and reliable YouTube videos related to pressure injury., (© 2024 The Authors. International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: A few studies have focused on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with chronic non-responsive pressure skin ulcers. The aim of this study was to assess how correct treatment (advanced wound care [AWC] dressings alone or vacuum assisted closure [VAC] therapy alone) changes the QoL of these patients. Approach: One hundred six patients with chronic non-responsive pressure skin ulcers, who had previously used galenic dressings, applied without proper therapeutic indication, were included in this study. We administered the WOUND-Q, at time 0 and after 1 month of appropriate therapy, to assess patient-reported outcome measures. Group 1 consisted of 30 patients treated with advanced dressings, Group 2: 22 patients treated with VAC therapy, and Group 3: 30 patients continuing conventional galenic dressings (Control group). Statistical analysis allowed us to analyze QoL changes over time and to compare WOUND-Q Group 1 and 2 deltas with those of Group 3. The study followed the STROBE statement. Results and Innovation: In all the scales evaluated (Assessment, Drainage, Smell, Life impact, Psychological, Social, Sleep and Dressing), there were significant improvements in mean values for Groups 1 and 2. Kruskal-Wallis tests with Dunn's multiple-comparisons tests and Brown-Forsythe and Welch Analysis of Variance tests demonstrated significant differences between deltas of Group 1 and Group 2 compared with those of Group 3 for most scales analyzed. Conclusions: Administration of the WOUND-Q demonstrated that the application of advanced dressings alone or VAC therapy alone positively affects the QoL of patients with chronic nonresponsive pressure wounds, in comparison with galenic dressings alone. The WOUND-Q has been shown to be a valid tool in studying changes in QoL of these patients.

Background: As COVID-19 has emerged as a pandemic virus, multiple reports have surfaced to describe skin lesions that occur either associated with the virus or due to treatment., Objective: To compare patient demographics, treatments, and outcomes in COVID-19 symptomatic patients who developed skin lesions (COVID-19 or hospital-acquired pressure ulcer/injury [HAPU/I]) during the first year of the pandemic., Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on COVID-positive symptomatic patients admitted from March 1, 2020, through March 1, 2021. The authors analyzed the difference in patient demographics, patient skin tones, treatments, hospital length of stay (LOS), intensive care unit (ICU) LOS, death, and discharge disposition for those with COVID-19 lesions compared to those who developed HAPU/Is., Results: Of those who developed lesions, 2.3% developed COVID-19 lesions and 7.2% developed HAPU/Is. Patients with COVID-19 lesions were more likely to be male (64%), younger (median age 60), and had a higher BMI (30) than patients with no wounds and patients with HAPU/I., Conclusion: This study advances the knowledge of the patient demographics and treatments that may contribute to identifying the new phenomenon of COVID lesions and how they differ from HAPU/Is.

Context: Relapse and recurrence rates of pressure injuries (PIs) are very high in spinal cord injured patients. That is the reason why alternative therapies, such the stem cells derived from bone marrow, have been developed., Objective: To compare this new technique of infiltration-infusion of mononuclear cells from bone marrow with conventional surgery., Design: A retrospective study was carried out in patients with spinal cord injuries who had PIs, category III/IV, in the pelvic area, during a 14-year follow-up period., Setting: One group was treated with conventional surgery and, in the other group, mononuclear cells were infused., Participants: One hundred and forty-nine patients were registered, 63 (42.3%) in the conventional surgery group and 86 (57.7%) in the mononuclear cell group., Results: A comparative study between these 2 groups was carried out. There were no significant differences in ulcer healing in the first 6 months, but 6 months and one-year post-treatment, they were found. At 6 months, no patient in the conventional surgery group showed dehiscence or fistulization of the wound and, one year after surgery, only 3.17% recurred in the conventional group. In addition, there was a statistically significant relationship between days of hospitalization and the type of bacterial contamination and the intervention group., Conclusion: Bone marrow mononuclear cell infusion-infiltration is an alternative treatment for PIs and fistula during the first 6 months, instead of conventional surgery. However, in the medium-long term, conventional surgery is more effective.