ULTRASOUND/COLLAGEN TREATMENT OF FULL THICKNESS WOUNDS

CHRONIC WOUNDS ARE A MAJOR HEALTH CARE PROBLEM, CONSUMING OVER $10 BILLION ANNUALLY IN TREATMENT COSTS. WE WILL PERFORM A FEASIBILITY STUDY INTO THE SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS OF COMBININGULTRASOUND INSONATION AND COLLAGEN TREATMENTS, BASED ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR INDEPENDENT ACTION IN ACCELERATING AND ASSISTING THE WOUND HEALING PROCESS. THE EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH WILLUSE A CAREFULLY DESIGNED AND CALIBRATED ULTRASOUND EXPOSURE SYSTEM. FULL THICKNESS WOUNDS OF 1.5 CM IN DIAMETER WILL BE USED IN AN ADULT PIG MODEL, WITH AN EXPERIMENTAL DURATION OF 21 DAYSFROM INITIAL INJURY TO FINAL ASSAY. THE PROTOCOL WILL INVOLVE THREE DIFFERENT GROUPS: 1) A COLLAGEN BEAD SUSPENSION TREATMENT, 2) THE APPLICATION OF DUODERM (HYDROCOLLOID DRESSING), AND 3) A NON-REACTING SOLUTION (ISOTONIC BUFFERED SALINE). EACH GROUP WILL HAVE A CORRESPONDING CONTROL NOT SUBJECTED TO ULTRASOUND EXPOSURE (SIX GROUPS TOTAL). EACH OF SIX PIGS WILL HAVE NINE WOUND SITES, WITH DAILY ULTRASOUND EXPOSURE FOR FIVE MINUTES PER DAY, AND REPEAT COLLAGEN APPLICATION DAILY UNTIL FULLY GRANULATED. WOUND ANALYSIS WILL INCLUDE: WOUND SIZE MEASUREMENT,EXTENT OF GRANULATION, WATER VAPOR TRANSMISSION, AND HISTOLOGICAL STUDIES ON 7, 14 AND 21 POST-INJURY. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS RESEARCH WILL OPEN UP A NEW COST-EFFECTIVE AVENUE OF SOUND WOUND MANAGEMENT.