Clinician Experience Using a Novel Copper Oxide-Impregnated Wound Dressing

Introduction: Copper ions play an important role in the physiologic processes of wound healing such as angiogenesis, growth factor induction, and extracellular matrix remodeling1. Copper is also known to act as an antimicrobial and antioxidant agent in wound healing2. Copper-oxide impregnated wound dressings have recently been approved but there is little data on their efficacy to date.    

Methods: Here, we present a case series detailing our experience using a copper-oxide impregnated (COI) dressing. These COI dressings* consist of two layers containing copper oxide microparticles that will elute copper ions in the presence of wound moisture. The COI dressing* was evaluated for impact on wound healing rate, clinical signs of infection, and patient experience.    

Results: We report use of COI dressing* in 3 patients. Patient 1 is a 31-year-old female with sarcoidosis who presented to clinic for a 6-week history of wounds on her lower extremities from mycobacterium abscesses. Initial area of treated ulcer was 1.8 cm2. At 4 week follow up, the area had decreased to 0.42 cm2. Patient 2 is a 62-year-old male who presented with two lower abdominal wounds of 6 months. Previously, he was treated with several courses of antibiotics for superinfection of the wounds. Initial area was 6 cm2 in the left lower quadrant and 3 cm2 in the right lower quadrant. At 8 week follow up, the area had decreased to 1 cm2 on the left and had healed on the right. Patient 3 is a 46-year-old male with history of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus who presented to clinic for diabetic foot ulcer of the right plantar foot complicated by osteomyelitis. He was previously treated with surgical debridement, negative pressure therapy, and intravenous antibiotics. Initial area was 2.25 cm2. At 4 week follow up, the area had decreased to 0.7 cm2.    

Discussion: Our experience suggests COI dressings* may serve as an effective management tool in wounds with known infectious components. Larger, prospective, controlled studies are needed to validate these preliminary findings and determine the efficacy of these dressings.