An observational pilot study using a purified reconstituted bilayer matrix to treat non-healing diabetic foot ulcers.

ABSTRACT

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) have significant clinical impact and carry a substantial economic burden. Patients with DFUs that are refractory to standard wound care are at risk for major complications, including infection and amputation and have an increased risk of mortality. This study evaluated the safety and preliminary efficacy of a novel decellularised purified reconstituted bilayer matrix (PRBM) in treating DFUs. Ten diabetic patients with refractory wounds that failed to heal after at least 4 weeks of standard wound care were studied in this Institutional Review Board approved trial. Ten consecutive wounds were treated weekly with the PRBM for up to 12 weeks. At each weekly visit, the wound was evaluated, photographed, and cleaned, followed by application of new graft if not completely epithelialised. Assessment included measurement of the wound area and inspection of the wound site for signs of complications. The primary outcome measure was wound closure, as adjudicated by independent reviewers. Secondary outcomes included assessment of overall adverse events, time to closure, percent area reduction, and the cost of product(s) used. Nine of 10 patients achieved complete wound closure within 4 weeks, and 1 did not heal completely within 12 weeks. The mean time to heal was 2.7 weeks. The mean wound area reduction at 12 weeks was 99%. No adverse events nor wound complications were observed. These early clinical findings suggest that the PRBM may be an effective tool in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.