Economic and Clinical Impact of Novel Nanofiber Matrix* to Treat Chronic Wounds

Complex chronic wounds are difficult to manage and heal, incurring significant costs to the U.S. healthcare system - nearly $25 billion annually [1]. In rural care areas, this cost is exacerbated due to patients’ distance from treatment and poor access to advanced therapies. Recently, a biodegradable synthetic nanofiber matrix* was trialed across a variety of complex chronic wounds at Astria Sunnyside Hospital for clinical efficacy and economic impact.

In this case series, 5 patients with multiple comorbidities presented with various chronic refractory wounds in an inpatient and outpatient hospital settings, including a venous leg ulcer, a diabetic foot ulcer, a Charcot foot deformity, and pressure ulcers (n=2). In an effort to heal the chronic refractory wounds using a different treatment modality, patients underwent treatment utilizing the synthetic nanofiber matrix*.

Results for each patient revealed the formation of granulation tissue and a reduction in wound size. The application of this synthetic nanofiber matrix* also resulted in tissue coverage over exposed structure in 3 cases, reduction of wound exudate in 2 cases, and avoided infection re-occurrence with or without antibiotics in 4 cases. An assessment of the economic impact of the synthetic nanofiber matrix revealed that the material was cost-effective compared to products that were previously used to treat these wounds (11% and 71% lower cost compared to placenta membrane# and living skin substitute+, respectively). Additionally, treatment with the synthetic nanofiber matrix led to a shorter inpatient stay which significantly reduced the treatment cost, up to $71,855 in one case.

Treatment of chronic refractory wounds with the synthetic nanofiber matrix resulted in optimal biological responses and new tissue formation. Inclusion of the nanofiber matrix in outpatient wound care settings may provide a much-needed solution for costly, difficult-to-treat chronic wounds while offering a significant reduction to the total cost of care.

Trademarked Items (if applicable): *Restrata®, Acera Surgical, Inc., St Louis, MO
#Grafix, Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., Columbia, MD
+Apligraf, Organogenesis, Inc., Canton, MA

References (if applicable): 1. Brem H, Stojadinovic O, Diegelmann RF, et al. Molecular markers in patients with chronic wounds to guide surgical debridement. Mol Med. 2007;13(1–2):30–9.