Standard Wound Research Articles

A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF POST MASTECTOMY SKIN FLAP ANCHORING AND SEROMA MONITORING

Background: Breast cancer is the leading cancer which aficts females globally. In order to decrease the incidence of post-operative complications, skin ap anchoring has been proposed by different authorities. The present study was conducted to assess and compare the outcomes of skin ap anchoring with standard wound closure techniques in the reduction of seroma formation in cases operated for invasive breast cancer. Materials & Methods: This prospective observational study (duration: from Feb 2021 to July 2022) conducted on 50 invasive breast cancer patients in the department of surgery in our institute. Informed consent was taken and then, patients were divided in two groups of 25 patients each. Group Aunderwent MRM with skin apanchoringand group Bunderwent MRM with standard closure ofthe skin apsat the surgical wound edges. The patients were followed up for post-operative complications. The results were then analyzed.Results: In the present study, the mean age of patients in group A and group B were 53.24 ± 7.45 years and 52.04 ± 6.83 years, respectively (non-signicant; p-value 0.556). The mean drain volume in group A and group B were 61.96±16.38 mL and 83.17±15.67 mL, respectively. (Signicant; p-value <0.001). The mean duration of surgery was 2.06 ± 0.17 hours in group A, while in the group B, it was 2.18 ± 0.32 hours (non-signicant; p-value 0.104). The mean duration of use of tube drainage was 4.24 ± 0.44 days in groupA, while in the group B, it was 6.4 ± 1.08 days (Signicant; p-value <0.001). In group A, the mean length of hospital stay was 4.24 ± 0.44days, while in thegroupB, it was 6.4 ± 1.08days (Signicant;p-value <0.001).IngroupA, the mean seromaaspiration volume was 1.4 ± 3.96 mL, while in the group B, it was 3.4 ± 5.72 mL (non-signicant; p-value 0.158). Surgical site infection was present in 4%patientsofgroup A, and 8% patients of group B ( non-signicant;p value 0.552). Flapnecrosis was presentin 4 %patients in both the groups (non-signicant; p-value 1.00). Conclusion: While modied radical mastectomy with skin ap anchoring was found to better while considering drain volume, duration of use of tube drainage, and length of hospital stay. The modied radical mastectomy with skin ap anchoring was comparable to MRM with standard closure of the skin aps in terms of duration of surgery, seromaaspirationvolume, andpost-operativecomplications (surgical siteinfectionandapnecrosis)

A multimodal, comprehensive characterization of a cutaneous wound model in healthy volunteers.

Development of pharmacological interventions for wound treatment is challenging due to both poorly understood wound healing mechanisms and heterogeneous patient populations. A standardized and well-characterized wound healing model in healthy volunteers is needed to aid in-depth pharmacodynamic and efficacy assessments of novel compounds. The current study aims to objectively and comprehensively characterize skin punch biopsy-induced wounds in healthy volunteers with an integrated, multimodal test battery. Eighteen (18) healthy male and female volunteers received three biopsies on the lower back, which were left to heal without intervention. The wound healing process was characterized using a battery of multimodal, non-invasive methods as well as histology and qPCR analysis in re-excised skin punch biopsies. Biophysical and clinical imaging read-outs returned to baseline values in 28 days. Optical coherence tomography detected cutaneous differences throughout the wound healing progression. qPCR analysis showed involvement of proteins, quantified as mRNA fold increase, in one or more healing phases. All modalities used in the study were able to detect differences over time. Using multidimensional data visualization, we were able to create a distinction between wound healing phases. Clinical and histopathological scoring were concordant with non-invasive imaging read-outs. This well-characterized wound healing model in healthy volunteers will be a valuable tool for the standardized testing of novel wound healing treatments.

Role of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum UBLP-40, Lactobacillus rhamnosus UBLR-58 and Bifidobacterium longum UBBL-64 in the Wound Healing Process of the Excisional Skin.

The probiotics Lactiplantibacillus plantarum UBLP-40, Lactobacillus rhamnosus UBLR-58 and Bifidobacterium longum UBBL-64 seem to promote wound healing when applied topically. Our aim was to investigate their effect on the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory, healing and angiogenetic factors during the healing process of a standardized excisional wound model in rats. Rats subjected to six dorsal skin wounds were allocated to Control; L. plantarum; combined formula of L. rhamnosus plus B. longum; L. rhamnosus; and B. longum treatments, applied every two days, along with tissue collection. The pro-inflammatory, wound-healing, and angiogenetic factors of mRNA expression were assessed by qRT-PCR. We found that L. plantarum exerts a strong anti-inflammatory effect in relation to L. rhamnosus-B. longum, given alone or in combination; the combined regime of L. rhamnosus-B. longum, works better, greatly promoting the expression of healing and angiogenic factors than L. plantarum. When separately tested, L. rhamnosus was found to work better than B. longum in promoting the expression of healing factors, while B. longum seems stronger than L. rhamnosus in the expression of angiogenic factors. We, therefore, suggest that an ideal probiotic treatment should definitively contain more than one probiotic strain to speed up all three healing phases.

Optimum TLCD for Mitigation of Offshore Wind Turbine Dynamic Response Considering Soil–Structure Interaction

The paper presents a parametric optimization of Tuned Liquid Column Damper (TLCD) to control the structural vibration of 5MW NREL offshore wind turbine (OWT) subject to the wind and waves random forces. In this work, the fluid–structure interaction of monopile with seawater are modeled as an added mass and the soil-structure interaction of monopile foundation is considered through simplified model of discrete coupled springs model. Using a proprietary genetic algorithm, the TLCD on nacelle has its parameters optimized to reduce the standard deviation or roots mean square (RMS) dynamic response on tower top. The displacement results are compared to the ones obtained by exhaustive search methods via a response map. From the stochastic analysis of the structure response, the ideal tuning ratio and damping ratio are determined for the liquid column damper to present its highest efficiency, i.e. the lowest RMS displacement at the tower top. The damper parameters achieved by both optimization methods show a significant agreement between them. In addition, the use of the genetic algorithm, a parametric optimization of the TLCD installed in OWT is carried out considering the random excitation of the wind, wave, and rotor forces (Kaimal, JONSWAP, and rotational spectra, respectively). In possession of the TLCD optimal parameters determined by the parametric study, the mitigation of displacements at the standard wind turbine top is analyzed. The fore-aft vibration at tower top with a TLCD attached shows a significant reduction for actions dynamic components. Finally, TLDC optimal parameters have a direct relation with the considered force spectrum and the turbine transfer function, and both must be considered for the damper optimization process.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Nonhealing Wounds-A Long-term Retrospective Cohort Study.

To analyze wound healing results of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for a variety of different wound types. This retrospective cohort study included all patients treated with HBOT and wound care at a single hyperbaric center between January 2017 and December 2020. The primary outcome was wound healing. Secondary outcome measures were quality of life (QoL), number of sessions, adverse effects, and treatment cost. Investigators also examined possible influencing factors, including age, sex, type and duration of wound, socioeconomic status, smoking status, and presence of peripheral vascular disease. A total of 774 treatment series were recorded, with a median of 39 sessions per patient (interquartile range, 23-51 sessions). In total, 472 wounds (61.0%) healed, 177 (22.9%) partially healed, 41 (5.3%) deteriorated, and 39 (5.0%) minor and 45 (5.8%) major amputations were performed. Following HBOT, median wound surface area decreased from 4.4 cm 2 to 0.2 cm 2 ( P < .01), and patient QoL improved from 60 to 75 on a 100-point scale ( P < .01). The median cost of therapy was €9,188 (interquartile range, €5,947-€12,557). Frequently recorded adverse effects were fatigue, hyperoxic myopia, and middle ear barotrauma. Attending fewer than 30 sessions and having severe arterial disease were both associated with a negative outcome. Adding HBOT to standard wound care increases wound healing and QoL in selected wounds. Patients with severe arterial disease should be screened for potential benefits. Most reported adverse effects are mild and transient.

Physics-informed few-shot learning for wind pressure prediction of low-rise buildings

This research proposes a physics-informed few-shot learning model to predict the wind pressures on full-scale specimens based on scaled wind tunnel experiments. Existing machine learning approaches in the wind engineering domain are incapable of accurately extrapolating the prediction from scaled data to full-scale data. The model presented in this research, on the other hand, is capable of extrapolating prediction from large-scale or small-scale models to full-scale measurements. The proposed ML model combines a few-shot learning model with the existing physical knowledges in the design standards related to the zonal information. This physical information helps in clustering the few-shot learning model and improves prediction performance. Using the proposed techniques, the scaling issue observed in wind tunnel tests can be partially resolved. A low mean-squared error, mean absolute error, and a high coefficient of determination were observed when predicting the mean and standard deviation wind pressure coefficients of the full-scale dataset. In addition, the benefit of incorporating physical knowledge is verified by comparing the results with a baseline few-shot learning model. This method is the first of its type as it is the first time to extrapolate in wind performance prediction by combining prior physical knowledge with a few-shot learning model in the field of wind engineering. With the benefit of the few-shot learning model, only a low-resolution of the measuring tap configuration is required, and the reliance on physical wind tunnel experiments can be reduced. The physics-informed few-shot learning model is an efficient, robust, and accurate alternate solution to predicting wind pressures on full-scale structures based on various modeled scale experiments.

The Possibility of Modeling the Very High Energy Afterglow of GRB 221009A in a Wind Environment

In this paper, we model the dynamics and radiation physics of the rarity event GRB 221009A afterglow in detail. By introducing a top-hat jet that propagates in an environment dominated by stellar winds, we explain the publicly available observations of afterglow associated with GRB 221009A over the first week. It is predicted that GRB 221009A emits a luminous very high energy afterglow based on the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) process in our model. We show the broadband spectral energy distribution (SED) analysis results of GRB 221009A and find that the SSC radiation component of GRB 221009A is very bright in the 0.1–10 TeV band. The integrated SED shows that the SSC emission in the TeV band has detection sensitivity significantly higher than that of LHASSO, MAGIC, and CTA. However, since the release of further observations, deviations from the standard wind environment model have gradually shown up in data. For example, the late-time multiband afterglow cannot be consistently explained under the standard wind environment scenario. It may be necessary to consider modeling with a structured jet with complex geometry or a partial revision of the standard model. Furthermore, we find that the inclusion of GeV observations could break the degeneracy between model parameters, highlighting the significance of high-energy observations in determining accurate parameters for GRB afterglows.

The effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy compared to the traditional method in the treatment of diabetic foot

Introduction and objective: Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic diseases in the world. Diabetic foot ulcers, which are often the result of the disease, are undoubtedly a nursing challenge. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is a new therapeutic method supporting wound healing, which has been useful in patients with diabetic foot. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of negative pressure therapy in comparison to the standard method in the treatment of diabetic foot. Review methods: In February 2023, articles found in the Medline (Pubmed) and Google Scholar databases were selected by using the following keywords: negative pressure wound therapy; VAC therapy; traditional dressing; standard moist wound care; diabetic foot. Brief description of the state of knowledge: NPWT has been proven to be associated with reduced healing time and faster appearance of granulation tissue, which is a sign of wound healing. Patients using this method require fewer dressing changes and surgical cleanings. Negative pressure therapy reduces the time to rehospitalisation and the risk of amputation or resection of the diabetic foot. Summary: Negative pressure wound therapy is more effective in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers than traditional therapy. Despite the costs associated with NPWT being higher, the method proves to be more profitable. It is important to remember about good therapy technique and proper selection of patients.

"The Lasso Suture: Ex vivo testing of an alternative to the high-tension deep dermal stitch".

Wound dehiscence is generally under-reported, with an estimated >4% occurrence rate in plastic surgery and can be an indicator of increased mortality or remission. In this work, we developed the Lasso suture as a stronger alternative to the current standard patterns that is also faster to perform than the standard "high-tension" wound repair method. To examine this, we dissected caprine skin specimens (SI, VM, HM, DDR, n=10; Lasso, n=9) to create full thickness skin wounds for suture repair using our Lasso technique and four traditional methods: simple interrupted (SI), vertical mattress (VM), horizontal mattress (HM), and deep dermal with running intradermal (DDR). We then conducted uniaxial failure testing to quantify the suture rupture stresses/strains. We also measured the suture operating time with medical students/residents (PGY or MS programs) performing wound repair (10 cm wide, 2 cm deep, 2-0 polydioxanone sutures) on soft-fixed human cadaver skin. Our developed Lasso stitch demonstrated a larger first suture rupture stress compared to all other patterns (p<0.001): 2.46 ± 0.27 MPa vs. SI, 0.69 ± 0.14 MPa; VM, 0.68 ±0.13 MPa; HM, 0.50 ±0.10 MPa; DDR, 1.17 ±0.28 MPa. The Lasso suture was also 28% faster to perform than the gold-standard DDR (264±21s vs. 349±25 s, p=0.027). In summary, we showed that the Lasso has superior mechanical properties compared to all the other studied (traditional) sutures and that the new technique can be performed faster than the current gold-standard (DDR stitch) used for high-tension wounds. Future animal and in-clinic studies will be helpful to confirm our findings in this proof-of-concept study.

Histomorphometric evaluation of skin wounds in rats submitted to biomodulatory therapies – research protocol

INTRODUCTION: The use of biomodulatory therapies in order to help tissue repair has been increasingly common in different areas of health. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to comparatively evaluate the effects of 660 nm laser photobiomodulation, ozone therapy, and ozonated oil on repair through histomorphometric analysis in skin wounds in rats. Forty Wistar rats will be divided into 4 groups of 10 animals each, Control Group (GC), Laser Group (LG), Ozone Gas Group (OGG), and Ozonated Oil Group (OOG). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Standard skin wounds will be made on the back of the animals, and the different experimental groups will be treated with the biomodulatory therapies described for three consecutive days. Five and ten days after surgery, five rats from each group will be euthanized. Skin fragments, including the wound area, will be removed for histological processing and subsequent staining of histological sections with Hematoxylin-eosin and Sirius red. Micrographs of the histological sections will be obtained and ten standard images will be captured for quantitative evaluation of the variables collagen area, number of blood vessels, and epithelium thickness. The variables infiltrate of polymorphonuclear and monomorphonuclear inflammatory cells, as well as edema, will be analyzed semiquantitatively. Statistical analysis of the study variables will be performed, with a significance level of p&lt;0.05. CONCLUSION: It is expected to verify which of the biomodulatory therapies used can favor the resolution of tissue repair, in particular, by promoting collagen biosynthesis.

Regulation of Hypoxic-Adenosinergic Signaling by Estrogen: Implications for Microvascular Injury.

Loss of estrogen, as occurs with normal aging, leads to increased inflammation, pathologic angiogenesis, impaired mitochondrial function, and microvascular disease. While the influence of estrogens on purinergic pathways is largely unknown, extracellular adenosine, generated at high levels by CD39 and CD73, is known to be anti-inflammatory in the vasculature. To further define the cellular mechanisms necessary for vascular protection, we investigated how estrogen modulates hypoxic-adenosinergic vascular signaling responses and angiogenesis. Expression of estrogen receptors, purinergic mediators inclusive of adenosine, adenosine deaminase (ADA), and ATP were measured in human endothelial cells. Standard tube formation and wound healing assays were performed to assess angiogenesis in vitro. The impacts on purinergic responses in vivo were modeled using cardiac tissue from ovariectomized mice. CD39 and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) levels were markedly increased in presence of estradiol (E2). Suppression of ERα resulted in decreased CD39 expression. Expression of ENT1 was decreased in an ER-dependent manner. Extracellular ATP and ADA activity levels decreased following E2 exposure while levels of adenosine increased. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 increased following E2 treatment and was attenuated by blocking adenosine receptor (AR) and ER activity. Estradiol boosted angiogenesis, while inhibition of estrogen decreased tube formation in vitro. Expression of CD39 and phospho-ERK1/2 decreased in cardiac tissues from ovariectomized mice, whereas ENT1 expression increased with expected decreases in blood adenosine levels. Estradiol-induced upregulation of CD39 substantially increases adenosine availability, while augmenting vascular protective signaling responses. Control of CD39 by ERα follows on transcriptional regulation. These data suggest novel therapeutic avenues to explore in the amelioration of post-menopausal cardiovascular disease, by modulation of adenosinergic mechanisms.

Buruli-RifDACC: Evaluation of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of high-dose versus standard-dose rifampicin on outcomes in Mycobacteriumulcerans disease, a protocol for a randomised controlled trial in Ghana.

Buruli ulcer (BU) can lead to disfiguring ulcers and permanent disability. The 2030 World Health Organization (WHO) road map for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) calls for major scaling up in diagnosis and management to eliminate disability due to the disease. Current treatment for BU is with daily oral rifampicin (10mg/kg dose) and clarithromycin (15mg/kg dose) for eight weeks, combined with standard gauze wound dressings. Dialkylcarbamoyl chloride (DACC)-coated dressings have been shown to irreversibly bind bacteria on wound surfaces resulting in their removal when dressings are changed. This trial aims to determine whether combining a high-dose oral rifampicin regimen with DACC dressings can improve the rate of wound healing relative to standard-dose oral rifampicin combined with DACC dressings. This is an individual, multi-centre Phase 3 randomised controlled trial, which will be conducted in three clinical sites in Ghana. The primary outcome measure will be the mean time to clearance of viable mycobacteria. Cost and health-related quality of life data will be collected, and a cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed. The findings from this trial could lead to a change in how BU is treated. A shorter but more efficacious regimen would lead to improved treatment outcomes and potentially substantial financial and economic savings. Pan African Clinical Trials Repository (registration number; PACTR202011867644311). Registered on 30 th November 2020.

The effect of prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy on infection in obese women after C-section: a meta-analysis

Most caesarean wounds resulted in infection. This become a huge burden on the health care system, considering the high number of women undergoing this type of surgery. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been recommended for a wide variety of lesions including open abdominal wounds. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of prophylactic NPWT on infection in obese women after a C-section. This was a systematic review and meta-analysis study that used articles from online databases of EBSCO, Google Scholar, and PubMed which published until 2022. The dependent variable was infections post C-section, while the independent were NPWT and standard wound therapy. The data was analyzed by RevMan 5.3. This study showed that there is no difference in the outcome of superficial site infection (SSI), deep site infection (DSI), wound dehiscence, seroma, and hematoma between women with obesity after caesarean delivery who used NPWT and standard dressing.

Meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies of closed incisional negative pressure wound therapy versus standard wound dressing in the prevention of surgical site infections for patients undergoing surgeries for lower extremity fractures

Meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies of closed incisional negative pressure wound therapy versus standard wound dressing in the prevention of surgical site infections for patients undergoing surgeries for lower extremity fractures

An experimental study on locating time-varying pollutant sources in a dynamic indoor environment with mechanical ventilation based on multi-robot cooperation

Using robots to locate indoor pollutant sources has attracted increasing attention in recent years, which is important for securing people's health and safety indoors. However, few studies have addressed the common scenarios for locating a time-varying source (release rate varies over time) in dynamic indoor environments with mechanical ventilation (condition of supply airflow varies over time). In such scenarios, the coupling effect of indoor dynamic airflow and time-varying source pose great challenges to robots locating the source. To address these challenges, in this study, a mobile robot olfaction system equipped with three robots was developed and 180 experiments in a laboratory were performed. Two methods, namely, the improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) method and the improved whale swarm algorithm (IWOA) method, were first validated, followed by comparisons with two other methods, the standard particle swarm optimization (SPSO) method and wind utilization II (WUII) method. Both the IPSO and IWOA methods show potential for practical application due to their high success rates (averaging 78.33% and 88.33%, respectively) and localization efficiency, while the success rates of the SPSO and WUII methods (less than 50%) are insufficient for practical application.

The Effect of Vibration on the Acceleration of Wound Healing of Diabetic Neuropathic Foot Ulcer: A Prospective Experimental Study on Human Patients.

Diabetic foot ulcers are a common complication that occurs in approximately 15 percent of patients with diabetes mellitus. Over 60% of diabetic foot ulcers are caused by underlying neuropathy. Former studies on diabetic animals with foot wounds found that vibration platforms significantly accelerate wound healing by catalyzing epithelization, promoting angiogenesis, and enhancing muscle bulk. This result suggests that there is evidence that vibrations may accelerate diabetic neuropathic ulcer healing in human patients. However, to the best of our knowledge, the effect of vibration on the enhancements of diabetic foot ulcer healing in human patients is rarely investigated. Hence, in this work, we conducted an experimental study with human subjects to investigate whether vibration therapy, as a complement to the standard wound treatment, can accelerate the wound healing rate of diabetic neuropathic foot ulcers. In this prospective experimental study, 80 participants diagnosed with Wagner grades I−III diabetic neuropathic foot ulcers were randomly distributed to experimental (n = 40) and control groups (n = 40). Patients in the intervention group received standard wound treatment and vibration wound therapy (VWT), whereas patients in the control group retrieved only standard wound treatment. The results (p = 0.024, α = 0.05) show notable differences in the median healing rate between the intervention group (25 days, 95% CI: 20.3−29.7) and control group (33 days, 95% CI: 25.6−40.4), with the effect-size r, Cohen’s d, Glass’s Δ, and Hedges’ g, respectively, being 0.810, 2.764, 2.311, and 2.772. Moreover, the nitric oxide (NO) level, wound closure area, and wound healing score after intervention significantly differed between the two groups (p < 0.05), putting the intervention group on a higher level than the control group. Furthermore, positive associations were found between the NO level and wound healing closure rates. These findings suggested that VWT enhances diabetic neuropathic foot ulcer healing in terms of healing rate, wound closure area, healing score, and elevated NO level. Considering that no clinically adverse effects were found in the patients induced with vibration intervention, VWT can be regarded as a complementary therapy to the existing ones to accelerate the healing of DFUs.

The effect of high-voltage monophasic pulsed current on diabetic ulcers and their potential pathophysiologic factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The present review was conducted to determine the efficacy of high-voltage monophasic pulsed current (HVMPC) in treating diabetic ulcers, assess its effect on skin lesions with each of the pathophysiologic factors potentially contributing to diabetic ulcers, evaluate its safety, and identify treatment parameters. Electronic search of PubMed, Scopus, PEDro and Google Scholar databases was conducted. The revised tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials (RoB 2), the risk of bias in non-randomised studies-of interventions (ROBINS-I) and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool were used to assess risk of bias and methodological quality. Overall quality of evidence was determined using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) principles. Thirty-two studies matched the eligibility criteria, and included 1061 patients with 1103 skin lesions of selected aetiologies; 12 randomised controlled trials were included in quantitative synthesis. HVMPC plus standard wound care (SWC) likely increased the probability of complete wound healing of pressure ulcers (PrUs) compared with sham/no stimulation plus SWC; relative risk (RR) 2.08; 95% CI: [1.42, 3.04], p= 0.0002; I2 = 0%, p= 0.61; eight studies, 358 ulcers. Although conclusive evidence regarding the effect of HVMPC on diabetic ulcers was not found, collateral evidence might suggest a potential benefit. Direct evidence, with moderate certainty, may support its efficacy in treating PrUs, albeit few adverse reactions were reported. Other observations, moreover, might indicate that this efficacy may not be limited to PrUs. Nonetheless, several aspects remain to be clarified for safe and effective application of electrical stimulation for wound healing.

Visual Outcomes and Prognostic Factors of Traumatic Endophthalmitis Treated by Pars Plana Vitrectomy: 11 Years Retrospective Analysis.

To evaluate the visual outcome of traumatic endophthalmitis and describe the risk factors associated with poor visual acuity and retinal detachment (RD) development over an 11-year period. Medical records of 34 patients with traumatic endophthalmitis who underwent PPV over a period of 11 years (1 January 2010-31 December 2020) were reviewed. We extracted details regarding demographic data, initial and final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) using a standard Snellen chart, wound and IOFB characteristics, ocular associated lesions, and treatment. The outcome was evaluated according to the final BCVA which was defined as poor &lt; 0.1 or good ≥ 0.1 Results: Endophthalmitis rate was 29.8% in open globe injuries. The mean age was 43.6 ± 16.5 years and the majority of patients were males (32 out of 34, 94.1%). All patients received systemic (moxifloxacin) and intravitreal antibiotherapy. We performed pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in all cases. Poor visual outcome was associated with wound size ≥ 3 mm (p = 0.02), the association of IOFB (p = 0.016), and the development of RD (p = 0.00). The presence of IOFB (p = 0.01) and wound size ≥ 3 mm (p = 0.01) were statistically associated with RD development. After treatment, 47.05% of patients achieved final BCVA ≥ 0.1. Wound size ≥ 3 mm, IOFB and RD were risk factors for poor visual outcomes in traumatic endophthalmitis.

Plasma-Functionalised Dressings for Enhanced Wound Healing.

Fundamental knowledge about cell-surface interactions can be applied in the development of wound dressings and scaffolds to encourage wounds to heal. As surfaces produced with acid-functionalised monomers encourage keratinocyte adhesion, proliferation and migration, whilst amine functionalisation enhances fibroblast proliferation and migration in vitro, standard care wound dressings were plasma-coated with either acrylic acid or allylamine and applied to 6 mm excisional wounds on the backs of mice to test their effectiveness in vivo. At day 3, the rate of wound healing was increased in mice treated with dressings that were plasma-coated with allylamine compared to uncoated dressings, with a significantly reduced wound area. However, healing may be impaired following prolonged treatment with allylamine-functionalised dressings, with delayed re-epithelialisation and increased cellularisation of the wound site at later timepoints. Acrylic acid functionalisation, however, offered no early improvement in wound healing, but wounds treated with these dressings displayed increased collagen deposition at day 7 post wounding. These results suggest that plasma polymerisation may allow for the development of new dressings which can enhance wound closure by directing cell behaviour, but that the application of these dressings may require a timed approach to enhance specific phases of the wound healing response.

Does prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy prevent surgical site infection in abdominal surgery?

To determine if prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy (pNPWT) allows for the prevention of surgical site infections (SSIs) in abdominal surgery. A non-systematic review assessing the evidence was conducted in 2020. Retrospectve studies comparing patients with pNPWT with patients receiving standard wound dressing after abdominal surgery showed encouragning results in favour of pNPWT for reducing the incidence of SSIs, but randomised controlled trials have so far reported mixed results. New randomised controlled trials including a sufficient number of patients at risk of SSIs are needed for confirming the results of non-interventional studies.