Ultrasound-determined healing rates with subscapularis tenotomy versus peel after anatomic shoulder arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Several techniques have been described for mobilizing the subscapularis tendon in anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). The purpose of this study was to compare subscapularis tendon healing rates, as determined by ultrasound, in patients following anatomic TSA with either a subscapularis tenotomy or subscapularis peel. METHODS: This study was a secondary analysis of patients from a previous randomized controlled trial in which patients underwent anatomic TSA and were randomized to either a tenotomy or peel approach. The primary outcome was postoperative tendon healing rates determined on ultrasound at >12 months after surgery. Secondary outcomes included postoperative tendon thickness measured on ultrasound; elbow position (neutral alignment in the belly-press position vs. posterior); internal rotation function measured with the third and fourth questions of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons questionnaire; and Western Ontario Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder index. Radiographs were analyzed in patients with torn tendons. RESULTS: One hundred patients were randomized to a tenotomy (n = 47) or peel (n = 53) approach. Postoperative ultrasound results were available in 88 patients. Tendon healing rates were 95% for tenotomy vs. 75% for peel (P = .011). The mean postoperative tendon thickness was 4 mm (standard deviation, 1.0 mm) and 4 mm (standard deviation, 1 mm) in the tenotomy and peel groups, respectively (P = .37). Internal rotation function was not associated with healing status (P = .77 and P = .22 for questions 3 and 4, respectively, of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons questionnaire), nor was elbow position (P = .2) in the belly-press position. DISCUSSION: We observed that subscapularis tenotomy had a higher healing rate than peel as determined by ultrasound in TSA patients. There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative tendon thickness in intact tendons as measured on ultrasound when comparing subscapularis mobilization techniques, nor was there any association between healing status and internal rotation function or elbow position.

Venous and lymphovenous lower limb wound outcomes in specialist UK wound and lymphoedema clinics.

This article explores the impact of combining tissue viability and lymphoedema techniques on optimising time to healing. AIM: To investigate the healing rates observed in patients who presented to wound and lymphoedema specialist clinics, located in the south eastern region of England, with venous/lymphovenous ulceration of the lower limb during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2022 (30 months in all). METHODOLOGY: A retrospective analysis of patient outcomes. RESULTS: 1041 patients were referred to the service, with a healing rate of 88.5% over 78 days. DISCUSSION: When comparing 2013-2019 healing rates/time to healing vs 2020-2022 there was a decrease of 1.5% in the rate of healing and a mean reduction in time to healing of 40 days. CONCLUSION: Despite the pandemic the service was able to maintain previous levels of outcomes and observed a decrease in the mean time to healing.

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and MMP-2, but not COX-2 serve as additional predictors for chronic venous ulcer healing.

Chronic venous ulcers affect 1% of the adult population and are associated with a marked reduction in quality of life, especially if healing is prolonged. Several matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) appear to be involved in the pathophysiology of chronic venous ulcer healing, but their exact role is still unclear. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an important enzyme in prostanoid synthesis, induced during inflammation in chronic venous ulcer. The first aim of our study was to compare the expression of MMP-1, MMP-2, and COX-2 in wound tissue to that in normal skin. The second aim was to observe the expression of the above factors in 29 chronic venous ulcers in 22 patients at the beginning and 4 weeks later in relation to healing rates and final healing outcome after 24 weeks. The enrolled population was divided into two groups, healed and non-healed wounds after 24 weeks. The intensity of expression of MMP-1, MMP-2 and COX-2 was assessed for each ulcer in paired wound biopsy samples and wound size measurements using laser triangulation at the beginning and after 4 weeks of observation. Initial healing rates in the first 4 weeks were calculated and proved to be an important predictive factor of healing in 24 weeks. Decreases in MMP-1 and MMP-2 after 4 weeks of observation were distinct, positive predictors for ulcer healing. Healing odds were 3.7 times higher for a decrease in MMP-1 and 2.1 times higher for a decrease in MMP-2 compared to the healing odds for a non-decrease in MMP-1 and MMP-2. In conclusion, a decrease in MMP-1 and MMP-2, but not COX-2, in wound biopsy samples after 4 weeks of observation can predict better healing of chronic venous ulcer.

Outcomes of present-on-admission pressure injuries at discharge and potential prognostic factors: A historical cohort study in China.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of present-on-admission pressure injuries (POA-PIs) is much higher than hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs). But scant attention has been paid to POA-PIs, especially the healing rate and potential prognostic factors. OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics of POA-PIs at admission and the outcomes of POA-PIs at discharge, and to explore potential prognostic factors of POA-PIs wound healing. METHODS: This study analyzed electronic health records (EHRs) for 838 POA-PIs among 586 patients from a Chinese tertiary hospital in 2018. The outcomes of POA-PIs were identified into four categories by comparing POA-PIs' wound area and exudation amount scores at admission and discharge: deteriorating, stable, improving, and healed. The generalized estimating equation (GEE) was carried out to screen the prognostic factors of POA-PIs wound healing. RESULTS: Among this population, 66.38% of the patients were male, 44.03% patients had a Braden Score less than 12 and the median of the Charlson comorbidity index was 5. The most common location of POA-PI wounds was the sacrum and the most common stage of them was Stage II. Nearly half of wounds (45.78%) were larger than 15 cm2, 26.61% were deeper than 0.5 cm, and 61.81% of the wounds were painful. When the patients were discharged, 29.71% wounds were healed, 36.16% were in improving status, 25.78% kept stable, and 8.35% wounds were in deteriorating status. Wound depth was the only independent prognostic factor for POA-PIs wound healing. CONCLUSIONS: The healing rate of POA-PIs is quite low, and the only independent prognostic factor of POA-PIs was wound depth.

An evidence-based review of split-thickness skin graft donor site dressings.

This evidence-based review aimed to identify and evaluate current existing evidence relating to the efficacy of dressing materials for spit-thickness skin graft donor site wounds in relation to promoting rapid healing and reducing patient pain. A comprehensive systematic search of the literature between 2006 and 2016 identified 35 publications that were included in the review. Based on the results of the review, it was found that moist wound-healing products have a clear advantage over non-moist products in the reduction of pain and increased healing rates. This review concluded that moist wound-healing products are more effective than non-moist wound-healing products in reducing pain and promoting healing in split-thickness skin graft donor site wounds. A recommendation based on this review is that further research examine the role of secondary dressing usage in donor site wound management, and the consideration of using more than one primary dressing product during the donor site wound-healing process should be undertaken.

Evaluating the effectiveness of a self-management exercise intervention on wound healing, functional ability and health-related quality of life outcomes in adults with venous leg ulcers: a randomised controlled trial.

Exercise that targets ankle joint mobility may lead to improvement in calf muscle pump function and subsequent healing. The objectives of this research were to assess the impact of an exercise intervention in addition to routine evidence-based care on the healing rates, functional ability and health-related quality of life for adults with venous leg ulcers (VLUs). This study included 63 patients with VLUs. Patients were randomised to receive either a 12-week exercise intervention with a telephone coaching component or usual care plus telephone calls at the same timepoints. The primary outcome evaluated the effectiveness of the intervention in relation to wound healing. The secondary outcomes evaluated physical activity, functional ability and health-related quality of life measures between groups at the end of the 12 weeks. A per protocol analysis complemented the effectiveness (intention-to-treat) analysis to highlight the importance of adherence to an exercise intervention. Intention-to-treat analyses for the primary outcome showed 77% of those in the intervention group healed by 12 weeks compared to 53% of those in the usual care group. Although this difference was not statistically significant due to a smaller than expected sample size, a 24% difference in healing rates could be considered clinically significant. The per protocol analysis for wound healing, however, showed that those in the intervention group who adhered to the exercise protocol 75% or more of the time were significantly more likely to heal and showed higher rates for wound healing than the control group (P = 0·01), that is, 95% of those who adhered in the intervention group healed in 12 weeks. The secondary outcomes of physical activity, functional ability and health-related quality of life were not significantly altered by the intervention. Among the secondary outcomes (physical activity, functional ability and health-related quality of life), intention-to-treat analyses did not support the effectiveness of the intervention. However, per protocol analyses revealed encouraging results with those participants who adhered more than 75% of the time (n = 19) showing significantly improved Range of Ankle Motion from the self-management exercise programme (P = 0·045). This study has shown that those participants who adhere to the exercise programme as an adjunctive treatment to standard care are more likely to heal and have better functional outcomes than those who do not adhere to the exercises in conjunction with usual care.

A large Italian observational multicentre study on vascular ulcers of the lower limbs (Studio Ulcere Vascolari).

An observational study of 2 years was promoted by the Italian Association for Cutaneous Ulcers (AIUC) in order to monitor the epidemiology of leg ulcers, the trend of healing and the more frequent therapeutic approaches in lower limb ulcers. Fifty-nine sites in 14 different Italian regions involved in the study, with 1333 enrolled patients (1163 patients fully evaluated and followed up for 9 months). A prevalence of females (62%) was observed with a mean age of 70 years and a high rate of hypertension (62%), diabetes (38%) and obesity (29%). Venous ulcer was most frequent (55%), followed by mixed (25%) and diabetic (8·3%) ulcers. Basically, all patients received a local therapy (LT) (compression and advanced local therapies), while 63% of patients have an associated systemic pharmaceutical treatment. Ulcer healing rates progressively increased throughout the study and despite the type of observational study does not allow conclusions on the treatment, it was observed that the patients receiving additional systemic drugs were associated with a more rapid acceleration of healing rates of ulcers compared to LT alone (3 months: 39·7% versus 29·2%; 6 months: 62·0% versus 47·0%; 9 months: 74·7% versus 63·8%). In particular, the Studio Ulcere Vascolari (SUV) study showed that a combination treatment with sulodexide and compression therapy allows for a greater increase in the healing rates in venous ulcers.

Efficacy of Amniotic and Chorionic Membrane in Facial Wound Healing: A Comparative Study.

Background Advancements in regenerative techniques have been utilized in placental amnion and chorion for a variety of purposes. Their ability to regenerate tissues has led to their usage in tissue engineering, wound healing, and other therapeutic applications. This study aims to evaluate and compare the efficacy of amnion and chorion in facial tissue wound healing. Methodology  The study was an observational comparative study conducted in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, involving 20 participants divided into two groups (Group I and Group II). Study groups were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A dehydrated human amnion/ chorion membrane was applied to the affected site of each group respectively. Its efficacy in wound healing was analyzed in the first, third, seventh day, and second week. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results Patients treated with amnion membrane showed a decrease in wound size and the wound was completely healed by second week with mean scores of wound sizes of 0.00 whereas the wound remained unhealed by second week with mean of 1.70 to those treated with chorion membrane. Conclusion Amnion showed superior efficacy in wound healing at two-week intervals when compared to the chorion. Hence, this could be used in regenerative medicine as a graft to induce healing in facial wounds.

A home-based progressive resistance exercise programme for patients with venous leg ulcers: a feasibility study.

This study aimed to assess the feasibility of a home-based exercise programme and examine the effects on the healing rates of venous leg ulcers. A 12-week randomised controlled trial was conducted investigating the effects of an exercise intervention compared to a usual care group. Participants in both groups (n = 13) had active venous ulceration and were treated in a metropolitan hospital outpatients clinic in Australia. Data were collected on recruitment from medical records, clinical assessment and questionnaires. Follow-up data on progress in healing and treatments were collected fortnightly for 12 weeks. Calf muscle pump function data were collected at baseline and 12 weeks from recruitment. Range of ankle motion data were collected at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks from recruitment. This pilot study indicated that the intervention was feasible. Clinical significance was observed in the intervention group with a 32% greater decrease in ulcer size (P = 0·34) than the usual care group, and a 10% (P = 0·74) improvement in the number of participants healed in the intervention group compared to the usual care group. Significant differences between groups over time were observed in calf muscle pump function parameters [ejection fraction (P = 0·05), residual volume fraction (P = 0·04)] and range of ankle motion (P = 0·01). This pilot study is one of the first to examine and measure clinical healing rates for participants involved in a home-based progressive resistance exercise programme. Further research is warranted with a larger multi-site study.

[Low-dose topical recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhu GM-CSF) therapy for chronic venous leg ulcers, 10-year follow-up]. / Lokale Therapie von venösen Ulzera mit niedrig dosiertem rekombinantem, humanem "granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor" (rhu GM-CSF), 10 Jahre Nachbeobachtung.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of leg ulcers is an enormous problem worldwide. Chronic venous ulceration affects 1% of the population and often has a protracted course. Recurrence rate is high, ranging up to 69% in the first year after healing. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether topical application of low-dose topical recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhu GM-CSF) is safe in venous leg ulcer treatment, and whether it accelerates healing rates and reduces recurrence rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients with chronic venous leg ulcers received topical treatment with low-dose rhu GM-CSF (10 µg/mL 0.9% sodium chloride solution; 1.0-2.3 µg rhu GM-CSF/cm2) in combination with treatment of venous insufficiency. All patients were previously treated with other topical wound remedies for several weeks (median 8 weeks) without success. RESULTS: In 119 of 130 patients, the wounds healed completely (91.5%). No local or systemic adverse reactions were observed. The mean time to healing was 24 weeks (median 14 weeks). Median follow-up of the 119 patients with healed ulcers was 84 months. The recurrence rates were 5.2% after 1 year, 18.9% after 4 years and 32.0% after 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: Topical low-dose rhu GM-CSF proved to be safe and highly effective. Healing rates were comparable to those reported in the ESCHAR study (Effects of Surgery and Compression on Healing And Recurrence in venous ulceration) and recurrence rates were the lowest reported in the literature. Topical therapy with rhu GM-CSF can be applied in an outpatient setting and does not require hospitalization.

The Relationship between Nursing Practice Environment and Pressure Ulcer Care Quality in Portugal's Long-Term Care Units.

BACKGROUND: The morbidity associated with ageing has contributed to an increase in the prevalence of Pressure Ulcers (PUs) in all care settings. The impact of these on people's quality of life and the extent of the associated economic and social burden constitutes today, by their importance, a serious public health problem. This study aims to describe the nursing work environment in Portuguese long-term care (LTC) units and to assess how this environment relates to the quality of PU care. METHODS: A longitudinal study among inpatients with PUs was conducted in LTC units. The Nursing Work Index-Revised Scale (NWI-R) was sent to all nurses in these units. Cox proportional hazard models were used to relate the satisfaction degree with the service (measured by the NWI-R-PT items) to the healing time of the PUs, adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: A total of 165 of 451 invited nurses completed the NWI-R-PT. Most were women (74.6%) and had 1 to 5 years of professional experience. Less than half (38.4%) had education in wound care. Of the 88 patients identified with PUs, only 63 had their PU documented, highlighting the difficulties in updating electronic records. The results showed that the level of concordance with Q28 "Floating so that staffing is equalised among units" is strongly associated with a shorter PU healing time. CONCLUSION: A good distribution of nursing staff over the units will likely improve the quality of wound care. We found no evidence for possible associations with the questions on participation in policy decisions, salary level, or staffing educational development and their relationship with PUs healing times.

Second-Look Arthroscopic Evaluation of Healing Rates After Arthroscopic Repair of Meniscal Tears: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of meniscal healing status after repair is important, as it allows the surgeon to inform patients whether they can increase their activities or return to sports. PURPOSE: To identify the healing rates after arthroscopic repair of meniscal tears via second-look arthroscopic evaluation. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: Searches of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane databases were conducted to identify relevant studies published before June 1, 2020. Studies were eligible for this meta-analysis if they provided data regarding healing status of the meniscus at second-look arthroscopy. Random-effects meta-analyses were generated to provide pooled meniscal healing estimates. We further performed subgroup analysis to investigate the healing rates of the meniscus under different situations. RESULTS: A total of 41 studies with 1908 individuals were included in the study. The pooled analysis showed the complete healing rate was 74% (95% confidence interval [CI], 67%-80%), the partial healing rate was 10% (95% CI, 6%-16%), and the failure rate was 12% (95% CI, 10%-15%) for arthroscopic repair of meniscal tears via second-look arthroscopic evaluation. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that no individual study affected the overall healing rate by >1%. Subgroup analysis found higher meniscal healing rates in patients with the following characteristics: age <40 years, male, body mass index <26, red-red tear location, tear in posterior horn, vertical tear, outside-in technique, repair concomitant with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, weight-restricted rehabilitation, and time interval from meniscal repair to second-look arthroscopy >12 months. CONCLUSION: In this systematic review, the complete healing rate was 74%, the partial healing rate was 10%, and the failure rate was 12% for arthroscopic repair of meniscal tears via second-look arthroscopic evaluation.

Clinical and Radiological Outcomes of Rotator Cuff Repairs Using All-Suture Anchors as Medial Row Anchors.

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study is to report the clinical and radiological outcomes of a series of prospectively enrolled patients who have had double-row transosseous equivalent rotator cuff repairs, where all-suture anchors were used as medial-row anchors, with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. METHODS: Twenty-two consecutive patients underwent arthroscopic transosseous equivalent double-row rotator cuff repair using all-suture anchors as medial-row anchors. Oxford Shoulder Score, Constant Score and Visual Analogue Scale pain score, together with shoulder range of motion, were used preoperatively and at 3 months, 6 months and final follow-up. Radiological evaluation was performed with magnetic resonance imaging at one-year post surgery to assess the structural integrity of the repair and the rate of cyst formation in greater tuberosity. RESULTS: The patient mean age was 61 years (range 46-75). Minimum follow-up was 1 year, and the mean final follow-up was 15 months (range 12-24). Healing failure in our patients was less than 5% (1/22 patients). There were significant improvements in shoulder function outcome scores at final follow-up. The Constant and Oxford scores were 78 and 44 at final follow-up respectively. There were similar magnitudes of improvement in range of motion (combined abduction and rotation), pain score and supraspinatus strength at final follow up. The improvements in outcome scores were already statistically significant at 3 months (P<.001). Using Kim's classification for cyst formation on T2-weighted MRI images, we observed no fluid or minimal fluid collection in 85% of the patients (17/22 patients). There were no correlations between the grade of bone changes and the clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: It is safe to use all-suture anchors as medial-row anchors when performing double-row anchor transosseous equivalent rotator cuff repairs. The purported advantages of all-suture anchors may outweigh their perceived disadvantages in rotator cuff repair surgery.

Self-Healing Analysis of Half-Warm Asphalt Mixes Containing Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Slag and Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) using a Novel Thermomechanical Healing Treatment.

Nowadays, the self-healing of asphalt pavements promoted by microwave radiation heating energy is gaining attention and strength in the scientific community. However, most of these studies are only conceptual and, thus, remain shrouded in uncertainty regarding technology development, economy, and application effect. Therefore, there are several efforts underway to offer more effective assisted healing treatments that are capable of overcoming such uncertainties. This paper aims to assess and quantify the healing performance rates (HR) of half-warm recycled asphalt (HWRA) mixtures containing electric arc furnace (EAF) slag and total recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) rates. To this end, a novel assisted thermomechanical healing treatment (i.e., a recompaction-based technique and microwave heating energy) was put forward to promote the potential healing effect of this treatment on the mechanical properties of the asphalt mixtures. In order to do this, three microwave heating temperatures (25 °C, 60 °C, and 80 °C) and three mechanical recompaction levels (0, 25, and 50 gyrations) were selected. After that, the healing performance rates (%, HR) of the asphalt mixtures were calculated by repeated indirect tensile strength (ITS) and indirect tensile stiffness modulus (ITSM). The results indicated that the 8% EAF slag mixture was found to provide significant microwave heating energy savings by up to 69% compared with the benchmark 100% RAP mixture, and, at the same time, it experienced a remarkable stiffness recovery response of 140% of the initial mechanical properties. These findings encourage greater confidence in promoting this innovative thermomechanical-based healing treatment for in-situ surface course asphalt mixtures of road pavements.

Publicly Reported Wound Healing Rates: The Fantasy and the Reality.

Significance: We compare real-world data from the U.S. Wound Registry (USWR) with randomized controlled trials and publicly reported wound outcomes and develop criteria for honest reporting of wound outcomes, a requirement of the new Quality Payment Program (QPP). Recent Advances: Because no method has existed by which wounds could be stratified according to their likelihood of healing among real-world patients, practitioners have reported fantastically high healing rates. The USWR has developed several risk-stratified wound healing quality measures for diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and venous leg ulcers (VLUs) as part of its Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR). This allows practitioners to report DFU and VLU healing rates in comparison to the likelihood of whether the wound would have healed. Critical Issues: Under the new QPP, practitioners must report at least one practice-relevant outcome measure, and it must be risk adjusted so that clinicians caring for the sickest patients do not appear to have worse outcomes than their peers. The Wound Healing Index is a validated risk-stratification method that can predict whether a DFU or VLU will heal, leveling the playing field for outcome reporting and removing the need to artificially inflate healing rates. Wound care practitioners can report the USWR DFU and VLU risk-stratified outcome measure to satisfy the quality reporting requirements of the QPP. Future Directions: Per the requirements of the QPP, the USWR will begin publicly reporting of risk-stratified healing rates once quality measure data have met the reporting standards of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Some basic rules for data censoring are proposed for public reporting of healing rates, and others are needed, which should be decided by consensus among the wound care community.

The Therapeutic Effect of Topically Applied 1% Sodium Hyaluronic Acid(Na-HA) on Corneal Alkali Burn

The effects of topically applied 1% Na-HA on corneal epithelial healing and visual outcomes were evaluated in 15 eyes of 12 corneal alkali-burned patients. 1 % Na-HA (Healon, Pharmacia, Sweden) together with antibiotics(Tarivid eye oint, Japan) in the treatment group and antibiotics ointment alone in the control group were given four times a day for the first one week and then antibiotics were used in both groups. For the assessment of the initial epitheilal healing, the eyes were examined at about 8 to 12 hours intervals during the first week. Individual epithelial healing rates were calculated by a linear regresion analysis from the epithelial defect areas. The best corrected visual acuity was compared between two groups. Initial epithelial healing rates were 0.81+/-0.53(mm2/hour) in the 1% Na-HA treated group and 0.40+/-0.21(mm2/hour) in the control group, respectively. A progressive improvement of visual acuity was observed in the 1% Na-HA treated group, while no change of vision was found in the control group. This clinical study suggests that topical application of 1 % Na-HA in combination with topical antibiotics could be considered for the management of corneal alkali wound.