Use of subatmospheric (VAC) therapy to improve bioengineered tissue grafting in diabetic foot wounds.
The use of bioengineered tissue and topical subatmospheric pressure therapy have both been widely accepted as adjunctive therapies for the treatment of noninfected, nonischemic diabetic foot wounds. This article describes a temporally overlapping method of care that includes a period of simultaneous application of bioengineered tissue (Apligraf, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp, East Hanover, New Jersey) and subatmospheric pressure therapy delivered through the VAC (Vacuum Assisted Closure) system (KCI, Inc, San Antonio, Texas). Future descriptive and analytic works may test the hypothesis that combined therapies used at different and often overlapping periods during the wound-healing cycle may be more effective than a single modality.
Diabetic Foot Center, Providence St Joseph Medical Center, Burbank, CA, USA.
Eric H
EH
Espensen
Brent P
BP
Nixon
Lawrence A
LA
Lavery
David G
DG
Armstrong
D001458:Bandages; D001698:Biomedical Engineering; D003094:Collagen; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D017768:Skin, Artificial; D014618:Vacuum
C117898:Apligraf; D003094:Collagen