Industry News

The leaders and membership of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (Mt. Laurel, NJ) asked the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to remove the recently released advertisement that brings awareness to Tobacco and Colon Cancer. The video, designed to promote smoking cessation, unnecessarily and irresponsibly portrays ostomates in a negative light, suggesting all those living with an ostomy are homebound and embarrassed by their ostomy.

As the video began to draw the ire of ostomates across the country, the United Ostomy Associations of America petitioned the CDC to remove the video. The CDC responded by altering the web version of the video; however, the television version of the video continues to air in its original form.

Advances in ostomy devices have significantly improved the potential quality of life for patients. Portraying ostomates in a negative light relative to smoking adversely impacts many who have made strides in achieving emotional health and well-being.

The Society argues the current ad marginalizes and shames patients who already face significant challenges from misguided public perceptions about ostomies. Representatives of the Society delivered a formal letter of complaint to the CDC last week.

 Nuo Therapeutics, Inc (Gaithersburg, MD) presented 3 case studies at the 28th Annual Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC) Spring Meeting, held in San Antonio, TX from April 29 – May 3, 2015, demonstrating the efficacious healing capabilities of Aurix, a biodynamic hematogel, in treating chronic wounds.

Shannon Payseur, MD, who specializes in wound care at DFW Wound Management PLLC (Dallas, TX), highlighted case studies for 3 patients with chronic infected wounds caused by chronic diseases in a poster titled, “Infected Hidradenitis and Diabetic Foot Wounds Respond to Biodynamic Hematogel” (Poster CS-097), during the SAWC-WHS Poster Gala on Friday evening.

Two of the patients treated had hidradenitis suppurativa, a painful condition that is usually misdiagnosed, leading to protracted management, disfiguring scars, and severely impacted quality of life. The third had advanced diabetes, which impairs the healing process and places the patient at high risk for infection and subsequent amputation.

During treatment, the product was applied to each patient’s wound once it demonstrated response to management of infection. Each patient received 3 treatments with the product, and in each case, significant decreases in the area, volume, and depth of their respective wounds were noted, decreasing the anticipated time to resolution of their wound. Importantly, in the 2 hidradenitis cases, patients reported a reduction in pain from 10 to 0 and 10 to 1, respectively.

For more information, visit www.AurixSystem.com.

BSN medical (Charlotte, NC) announced the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has assigned 2 Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes for the JOBST Compri2 – 2-Layer-System.

The HCPCS codes allow health care providers to bill for the Compri2 padding bandage and the Compri2 high-compression bandage effective immediately. The JOBST Compri2 – 2-Layer-System may be used to treat chronic venous insufficiency including venous edema and active leg ulcers.

The Compri2 nonelastic, nonwoven padding bandage was assigned HCPCS code A6441, and provides added comfort during the treatment of venous edema. The Compri2 high compression bandage, which was assigned HCPCS code A6452, offers patients a knitted, woven, load resistance bandage that is easy to use and ideal for the management of venous ulcers and associated conditions.

For more information, visit www.bsnmedical.com.

Precision Health Care, Inc (Boca Raton, FL) launched the GPS In-source Program to assist hospitals in returning the management of their outpatient wound center to their own self-management and realize an improved financial result to the facility.

The GPS In-source Program develops and executes the plan to transition the wound center from a management company to the hospital. Precision Health Care provides the feasibility analysis, consultation, and engagement options to consult with hospitals.

Key elements of the GPS In-source Program include the transition plan, securing hyperbaric chambers, and other medical equipment, electronic medical records, data management, and staffing while maintaining a focus on the continuity of patient care.

For more information, visit www.precisionhealthcare.com/gps.

WACKER (Munich, Germany) premiered a new advanced high-tack silicone adhesive gel developed expressly for medical applications at SAWC Spring 2015. Marketed under the trade name SILPURAN 2117, it is especially well-suited for skin-friendly adhesive applications such as those found in Advanced Wound Care and Prosthetic Medical Devices. Dressings or devices using this high purity silicone adhesive gel remain reliable and durable yet stay soft and flexible, thus enabling atraumatic dressing changes.

The product was uniquely developed and formulated to provide advantageous properties such as enhanced tack in direct skin applications and where hypoallergenic skin adhesion is a crucial requirement. Dressings made using this soft silicone gel are breathable due to high vapor permeability of the silicone, protect the wound site from bacteria, are waterproof, and help promote an optimized healing environment. The product’s gentle properties enable easy removal without causing damage or pain to the surrounding skin area.

Excellent tack makes this adhesive gel the preferred choice for direct skin adhesive wound care and prosthetic medical device applications, while at the same time exhibiting the benefits associated with typical silicone properties. It is chemically inert, heat-resistant, remains flexible at temperature extremes ranging from -50˚C to +200˚C, and is highly elastic and tear-resistant. Free from organic plasticizers and stabilizers, this 2-part A/B component adhesive has passed selected tests for biocompatibility according to ISO 10993 and USP Class VI. The company is in process of registering a Device Master File with the US Food & Drug Administration.

For more information, visit www.wacker.com.

3M Critical and Chronic Care Solutions (St. Paul, MN) launched its new 3M Tegaderm CHG Chlorhexidine Gluconate I.V. Port Dressing, designed for patients with implanted port devices under their skin and connected to a catheter for the purpose of central venous infusions. This announcement coincides with the Oncology Nursing Society 40th Annual Congress in Orlando, FL.

The new offering combines, for the first time, a transparent, port-site dressing with a separate, compatible antimicrobial CHG gel pad device that is also clear and designed specifically for ports. This allows for continuous, unobstructed observation of the IV insertion site, even in the presence of saline, blood, and exudates.

In addition, an adhesive-free window on the dressing ensures the dressing will not stick to the needle or patient during dressing removal. The CHG gel pad not only provides immediate and continuous antimicrobial protection, but it also is designed to conform around the needle at the insertion site. Because the cover dressing and CHG gel pad accommodate a variety of non-coring Huber needles, only 1 size is needed, making it a versatile option. Both the dressing and pad flex with patient movement and can be worn for up to seven days.

The port dressing (3M catalog number 1665) is immediately available and sold 25 dressings to a box, 4 boxes to a case. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have assigned the product Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System code A6268. A version of the product containing the dressing but not the CHG gel pad device will be made available later this summer.

For more information, visit 3M.com/TegadermIVPortDressings.