Wound Care
Wound Care
Wound Care in St. Petersburg, FL
Wounds that have not progressed through the normal process of healing and are open for more than a month are classified as chronic wounds
A 2018 retrospective analysis of Medicare beneficiaries identified that 8.2 million people had wounds with or without infections. The majority of wounds are due to Diabetes.
What can be done to treat Chronic Wounds?
There have been a variety of treatments available for chronic wound care. Amniotic tissue has received considerable attention from the scientific medical community for its ability to improve the speed of healing of a variety of wound types, including surgical, traumatic, pressure wounds, and wounds caused by diabetes or infection.
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How long has this treatment been around?
The human amniotic membrane has been used in wound care for almost a century. Also, with advancement of technology amniotic tissue can now be cleansed, dehydrated and sterilized, which means that the shelf life of amniotic membrane has been greatly increased simplifying storage and use of the product.
Regenerative Medicine
Where does Amniotic Tissue come from?
Amniotic Member is derived from living, healthy donors after a full-term pregnancy and a scheduled Caesarean section (C-section). Donors are healthy women who are thoroughly screened for communicable diseases. A careful medical and social history is collected in advance to ensure the mother meet all eligibility requirements.
Allograft products preserve the placenta and fluid, which are typically discarded. Tissues are then tested to ensure viability and safety. Once tested, these tissues are processed using the standards established by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB). Their Allografts are sent to a fully accredited, CLIA-certified independent lab for sterility testing prior to release.
FAQ
What is in Amniotic Membrane?
- Collagen and extracellular matrix – The extracellular matrix provides structure and contains a number of specialized proteins, including proteoglycans, fibronectin, laminins and others. Several types of collagen add structural strength to the membrane. (5)
- Biologically active cells – The biologically active cells include stem cells, which function to regenerate new cellular materials within the lining of the membrane. Fibroblasts help to strengthen the tissue, and epithelial cells aid in the healing process via receptors on the cell surface. (5)
- Regenerative molecules – Regenerative molecules, which are important for growth and healing, are present in the amniotic membrane as well. These include numerous types of growth factors such as fibroblast growth factors, platelet-derived growth factors, metalloproteinases and others. Immunosuppressive cytokines prevent the amniotic membrane from being seen as ‘foreign’ by both the mother and infant’s immune systems. There are also a number of other specialized molecules, such as defensins which protect against bacterial infection (5)
How does Amniotic membrane help with wound care?
- contains a significant number of cytokines and essential growth factors
- reduces pain when applied to a wound
- increases and enhances the wound healing process
- has antibacterial properties
- is non-immunogenic (will not be seen as foreign material)
- provides a biological barrier
- provides a matrix for migration and proliferation of cells
- reduces inflammation
- reduces scar tissue formation
How does Amniotic Membrane help with healing?
- Faster healing time – Speedy healing times are essential to prevent chronic wound recurrence and minimize the risk of infection. Amniotic membrane is rich in human growth factors and cytokines which initiate the healing response. It also provides a flexible matrix to allow for the migration and rapid growth of cells, making it the ideal medium to facilitate accelerated epithelialization and reduce wound healing times. Research suggests that amniotic membranes have an effect on keratinocytes which allows wounds that were previously unable to epithelialize to heal with healthy granular activity. The healing progressed significantly quicker with amniotic membrane involved than when standard wound care treatments were used. (7)
- Reduced scarring – Wound fibrosis results in permanent scar tissue forming to replace the normal, parenchymal tissue, thereby altering the structure and function of tissues and organs. Preventing fibrosis is not only aesthetically important but also vital for preserving the barrier function of the skin. (7)
- Reduced risk of infection – An amniotic membrane allograft provides a protective biological barrier to the wound that prevents infection during healing while simultaneously creating an anti-bacterial layer on the wound. Studies have shown that mesenchymal stromal cells found in amniotic membranes inhibit the formation of fibrosis by reducing the production and retention of B cells which, in turn, modulates the activity of T cells to effectively minimize inflammation. (7)
- Pain relief – Amniotic membranes have powerful pain-relieving properties. Many researchers believe this is because amniotic membranes reduce inflammation, improve wound bed hydration, and form a protective barrier around exposed nerve endings. Studies have also shown that patients who had undergone a Caesarian section and had amniotic membranes applied to the wound required fewer analgesics than the control group. (7)
How much does Amniotic Membrane cost?
How do I know if I can get Amniotic Membrane treatment for my chronic wound?
The first step is to verify that your insurance company will cover the treatment. To do that, we just need a copy of your insurance card and a photo ID. We will call them to verify that they will cover the procedure. Once you are approved, we will contact you and schedule an exam by the medical staff in our clinic. You will be scheduled to receive the treatment soon thereafter.
You will receive a first treatment with Amniotic Membrane. We do these treatments on either Tuesdays or Fridays. The medical staff will provide post treatment instructions as well. There will be mandatory follow-up visits. This is when the medical staff will perform another examination, review how your wound is responding to the treatment and determine if you should receive additional applications, based on medical necessity.
Where do you get the Amniotic Membrane product?
Who is Regenative Labs?
What quality controls are in place for Regenerative Labs tissues?
What types of wounds can amniotic membrane be used on?
How soon will I see an improvement?
How is Wharton’s jelly administered?
Wharton’s jelly is administered via a syringe directly to the injured site or defect. The application is relatively painless and takes only a few minutes.
How many applications do I need?
The determination of this is made by your physician, depending on your specific case. However, typically, multiple applications are required to achieve the desired clinical outcome.
Is Wharton’s jelly application safe?
There have been no reported graft vs. host interactions or drug interactions with our product. As always, your physician will determine if this product is safe for you. To date, no adverse events contributable to Regenative Labs’ products have been reported in over 50,000 applications.
What should I do post-application?
This is at the discretion of your physician; however, it is generally advisable to take it easy for the first 24-48 hours. Beyond that period, there is typically minimal change in daily activities post-application. Wharton’s jelly application takes only minutes and is non-allogeneic, nonsurgical, and minimally invasive. Patients walk in and walk back out the same day.
What do Wharton’s jelly Allografts help with?
Wharton’s jelly allografts are connective tissue supplements crafted to substitute missing or damaged tissue in the patient. If imaging reveals the absence or damage of tissue, you may qualify for Wharton’s jelly application.
How do I know if Wharton’s jelly is right for me?
If you experience joint pain, there could be an underlying structural tissue defect as the root cause. Rather than addressing only the symptoms (pain) with steroids or other conventional methods, Wharton’s jelly focuses on resolving the root cause by addressing the underlying tissue issue.