title: Evaluation of the Efficacy of Highly Hydrophilic Polyurethane Foam Dressing in Treating a Diabetic Foot Ulcer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the efficacy of a highly hydrophilic polyurethane foam dressing in the treatment of diabetic ulcers.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Diabetic foot ulcers often pose a difficult treatment problem. Polyurethane foam dressings have been used worldwide to accelerate wound healing, but only a few clinical studies demonstrate the effect of foam dressing on the healing of diabetic ulcers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of 1342 patients with diabetic ulcers who were admitted and treated at the authors' institution were reviewed. A total of 208 patients met the study's inclusion criteria. Of these 208 patients, 137 were treated with a highly hydrophilic polyurethane foam dressing, and 71 were treated with saline gauze (control group). Except for the application of polyurethane foam dressing, the treatment method was identical for patients in both groups. The wound healing outcomes of the 2 groups were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete wound healing occurred in 87 patients (63.5%) in the polyurethane foam dressing group and in 28 patients (39.4%) in the control group within 12 weeks (P < .05, X test). The mean percentage of wound area reduction in both groups was statistically significant (P < .05, Mann-Whitney U test). The mean time required for complete closure in patients who achieved complete healing within 12 weeks was 6.2 (SD, 3.4) weeks and 7.3 (SD, 2.6) weeks in the polyurethane foam dressing and control groups, respectively (P < .05, Mann-Whitney U test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that the highly hydrophilic polyurethane foam dressing may provide an effective treatment strategy for diabetic foot ulcers.
authors.affiliation: Jae-A Jung, MD, MSc, is a Professor; Ki-Hyun Yoo, MD, is a Resident; Seung-Kyu Han, MD, PhD, is a Professor; Eun-Sang Dhong, MD, PhD, is a Professor; and Woo-Kyung Kim, MD, PhD, is a Professor, Department of Plastic Surgery, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea. The authors have disclosed that this study was supported by a grant from Korea University. Submitted July 24, 2015; accepted in revised form January 8, 2016.
authors.forename: Jae-A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Ki-Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Seung-Kyu
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Eun-Sang
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Dhong
authors.forename: Woo-Kyung
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D047070:Bandages, Hydrocolloid; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011140:Polyurethanes; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D011140:Polyurethanes; C028279:polyurethane foam