(CS-001) Retrospective Case Series on the Efficacy of Antimicrobial Laminated Poly Electric Scaffold on Bacterial Loads of Chronic Ulcerations through Fluorescence Imaging

Amy Couch, MD – Medical director, wound care, Mercy South Hospital

Introduction: Bacterial loads or bioburden of hard to heal ulcerations have prolonged and stalled healing rates, which could lead to complications and increased costs, such as prolonged care and/or hospitalizations. By decreasing the bacterial loads, this has shown to improve healing rates in all chronic ulcerations. We would like to show the effectiveness of this novel scaffold on the bacterial load through fluorescence imaging and decreased wound measurements.

Methods: Through fluorescence imaging, the cases show the effectiveness of the antimicrobial laminated poly electric scaffold on bacterial loads of the chronic ulcerations up to four weeks application if needed. Data with photos will be obtained for these patients. 
The objective of this data collection is to look at outcomes and time points for the antimicrobial laminated poly electric scaffold in the treatment of chronic ulcerations with bacterial and fungi and the antimicrobial effect of the scaffold on these wounds. There is a one week lead in period after initial debridment and confirmed bacteria and/or fungi prescence. if the wound is rapidly moving to closure after initial debridement and standard of care practices, the withdrawal of these patients will prevent corruption of the true closure rate and microbe reduction of this scaffold.  The objective of the treatment with the antimicrobial laminated poly electric scaffold is to evaluate closure rate in patients not responding to traditional standard of care. The chronic wound have been present for over 4 weeks and did not respond to traditional methods.  As well another objective is to monitor bacterial load of the chronic ulceratinos through fluorescence imaging.

Results: Through application of the antimicrobial laminated poly electric scaffold on the chronic ulcerations in this case series with the aid of fluorescence imaging, the bacterial loads was known to lessen and not be detected showing the efficacy of the scaffold and decreased wound measurements in each of the 20 cases.

Discussion: Prescence fo bioburden of wounds has been proven to be a costly and prolonged effect on  wound healing rates. Detection of bioburden or bacterial load through fluorescence imaging has shown the effectiveness of this scaffold on decreasing the prescence of bacteria on wounds and improving wound measurements and healing rates.  In this series, the addition of antimicrobial lamninated poly electric scaffold to the standard of care led to reductions in the level of bacterial loads in chronic ulcerations and improved wound measurements.