To help facilities manage the risk and high cost of pressure ulcers and infected wounds, Smith & Nephew, Largo, FL, has developed an approach called BRIDGES. The program is designed to improve assessment of high-risk patients, standardize practice protocols, develop customized core formularies, drive proper product selection and utilization, improve protocol compliance, and track sustainable, repeatable results.
As of October 2008, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will no longer reimburse hospitals for the treatment of 8 hospital-acquired conditions, including pressure ulcers and various types of infection. This action makes implementing a pressure ulcer prevention program especially important at many facilities where nonwound care experts are managing the prevention and treatment of wounds. This can lead to significant variations in treatment, product use, and outcomes.
The BRIDGES program was implemented at the University Medical Center in Lubbock, TX, to reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers. After 1 year, the hospital-wide (excluding the intensive care unit) incidence of pressure ulcers was reduced from 15% to 0%. Wound care product costs were reduced by 63,713. The number of days requiring negative pressure wound therapy was also reduced, resulting in a savings of 17,068. The company's goal through this program is to help customers reduce risk, improve utilization, and maximize clinical and economic outcomes.
[black up pointing small triangle]Information:http://www.smith-nephew.com
Innocoll, Inc, Ashburn, VA, announces that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Innocoll Technologies, Ltd, has filed an investigative new drug application for CollaRx Bupivacaine Topical, which is under development for the treatment of painful chronic skin ulcers and burns. The product is a fully biodegradable and bioresorbable bupivacaine collagen sponge, formulated using Innocoll's proprietary CollaRx technology, which is already under phase 2 clinical development for the management of postoperative surgical wound pain. The manufacturer anticipates that CollaRx Bupivacaine Topical will provide long-acting analgesia between dressing changes and significantly reduce pain at the time of dressing change. The fibrillar collagen matrix is also expected to provide supplementary wound healing benefits.
[black up pointing small triangle]Information:http://www.innocoll.com
Cardiovascular Systems, Inc, Minneapolis, MN, announces that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the use of the Diamondback 360 Orbital Atherectomy System for the removal of peripheral artery blockages in the legs and restoration of blood flow. An alternative for treating complex diffuse disease in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), the device consists of a tiny, diamond-coated crown that uses centrifugal force to rapidly spin, or orbit, at high speeds, removing hard, calcified plaque while preserving the healthy tissue of the arterial wall. Clearance follows the successful completion of a rigorous clinical study of 124 patients, demonstrating dramatic plaque reduction with lasting results. Currently, more than 12 million people in the US suffer from PAD, reported the manufacturer.
[black up pointing small triangle]Information:http://www.csi360.com
Theravance, San Francisco, CA, received a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval letter for televancin, a novel bactericidal, once-daily injectable antibiotic for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections caused by gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The approval level indicates that televancin's application is approvable subject to the resolution of current good manufacturing practices compliance issues and submission of revised labeling or reanalyses of clinical data or additional clinical data. In November 2005, Theravance entered into a collaboration with Astellas Pharma, Inc, Deerfield, IL, for the worldwide development and commercialization of televancin, excluding Japan. In July 2006, the collaboration was expanded to include Japan.
[black up pointing small triangle]Information:http://www.theravance.com
Ulsys, Halifax, UK, launched the Vowden Trainer, a cutting-edge pressure monitor designed to increase the accuracy of leg ulcer treatment, at Medica 2007, which was held recently in Germany. The Vowden Trainer works by accurately measuring the application of pressure under a bandage applied over a leg ulcer, indicating exactly how much pressure the bandage is generating in order to help health care professionals apply the correct pressure without having to estimate. This eliminates inconsistent pressure application, allows for greater accuracy in treatment, and saves working time.