Incremental Health Care Expenditure of Chronic Cutaneous Ulcers in the United States.

Importance: Despite the increasing incidence of chronic cutaneous ulcers (CCUs), limited information exists regarding their incremental economic burden.

Objective: To provide nationally representative estimates regarding the incremental health care cost of CCUs, controlling for comorbidities and sociodemographic characteristics.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective analysis used 9 years of longitudinal data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS; January 1, 2007, through December 31, 2015).

The effect of adjunctive noncontact low frequency ultrasound on deep tissue pressure injury.

The optimal treatment for deep tissue pressure injuries has not been determined. Deep tissue pressure injuries represent a more ominous early stage pressure injury that may evolve into full thickness ulceration despite implementing the standard of care for pressure injury. A longitudinal prospective historical case control study design was used to determine the effectiveness of noncontact low frequency ultrasound plus standard of care (treatment group) in comparison to standard of care (control group) in reducing deep tissue pressure injury severity, total surface area, and final pressure injury stage.

Incorporating Cutaneous and Wound Bacterial Bioburden Biomarkers into Clinical Research: A Review of Best Practices.

Purpose: To provide information about initiating interdisciplinary research related to microbiomes and their role in human immunity, disease, and metabolic processes.

Target Audience: This continuing education activity is intended for physicians and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.

Objectives: After participating in this educational activity, the participant should be better able to:1.

Differential diagnosis of suspected deep tissue injury.

Deep tissue injury (DTI) can be difficult to diagnose because many other skin and wound problems can appear as purple skin or rapidly appearing eschar. The diagnosis of DTI begins with a thorough history to account for times of exposure to pressure, such as 'time down' at the scene or time during which the patient was flat and could not respond. Patients with light skin tones present with classic skin discolouration of purple or maroon tissue, a defined border around the area of injury, and often surrounding erythema is evident.

Development and psychometric testing of the Honaker suspected deep tissue injury severity scale.

Purpose: This article describes the development of the Honaker Suspected Deep Tissue Injury Severity Scale (HSDTISS). The aims of the instrument are to (a) accurately evaluate the severity of the suspected deep tissue injury (SDTI), (b) determine progression of SDTI, and (c) demonstrate utility of the instrument in the clinical setting.

Instrument: The HSDTISS contains 3 items: total surface area size, skin integrity, and wound color/tissue assessment.

Suspected deep tissue injury profile: a pilot study.

Purpose: To enhance the learner's competence with knowledge of the results of research examining suspected deep tissue injury profiles.

Target Audience: This continuing education activity is intended for physicians and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.

Objectives: After participating in this educational activity, the participant should be better able to:

Objective: : The purpose of this study was to examine (1) the incidence of potential precipitating events of suspected deep tissue injuries (SDTIs) identified over a 7-day period prior to cutaneous manifestation, (2) physiological variables related to the formation of SDTIs, and (3) the time since precipitating events and the occurrence of the SDTI.

Effects of non contact low-frequency ultrasound on healing of suspected deep tissue injury: a retrospective analysis.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of non contact low-frequency ultrasound on the healing of suspected deep tissue injury (SDTI). Participants were adults ranging in age from 28 to 93 years old, with multiple diagnoses including anaemia, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Data were examined retrospectively on 85 patients (intervention group = 43 and non intervention group = 42) with 127 SDTI (intervention group = 64 and non intervention group = 63).

Adjunctive use of noncontact low-frequency ultrasound for treatment of suspected deep tissue injury: a case series.

Purpose: We lack a clear understanding of the mechanisms of damage associated with suspected deep tissue injuries (SDTI) and sufficient evidence to determine the efficacy of various preventive interventions. The purpose of this article is to evaluate noncontact low-frequency ultrasound (NLFU) as one component of a preventive program designed for preventing SDTI from progressing to higher-stage pressure ulcers.

Cases: In March 2009, we added NLFU treatments daily for 5 days, then every other day until healed, to our prevention protocol in order to prevent progression of SDTI to a higher-stage pressure ulcer.