|
The introduction of
new technologies and products for the treatment of acute and chronic
wounds is providing caregivers with a set of powerful options that
will have a profound effect on the field of wound management. These
new treatment tools, which mimic the body’s natural physiology and/or
regenerative pathways, include tissue-engineered skin substitutes,
cellular matrices, and biologically active cellular therapies. First
emerging as a viable treatment for refractory wounds in 1999, a few of
these products are currently available for certain indications, while
more than a dozen tissue engineered skin substitutes and cellular
matrices are in pre-clinical or clinical
development. Improvements in quality-of-life and treatment outcomes
for chronic wound patients continue to be top healthcare industry
initiatives. While pricing for these engineered products represents a
significant premium relative to existing wound care products, recent
studies indicate their ability to promote healing in otherwise
refractory wounds places skin substitutes on a competitive level in terms of total
cost of treatment.
Publication:
February 2007 |
