Here a some new questions that have been asked :
#5 Q. How small can Procellera be cut and still create a current?
A. As long as a "pair of dots" is are intact -- the activated ( wet ) device will produce current. The device should however always be larger than the wound in order to achieve overlap of the edges -- in this setting, there is no piece that could be too small. Additional points related to this are :
- cutting through a "dot" will not affect the device
- multiple pieces may be patched together to adequately cover the wound surface.
*** cavity wounds should be treated with a single piece of Procellera in order to minimize the risk of "leaving" a piece behind .***
#6. Q. Can Procellera be used in combination with Enzymatic debriders ( ex.Santyl)?
A.The effect of the enzyme on the device has not been studied, and for this reason , it is not recommended to combine the products. Procellera has been used on wounds with slough with some good results though the best results will come with a well prepared wound bed. Sharp debridement and/or ultrasonic irrigating devices for maintainance debridement are recommended as adjuncts to procellera use.
#7. Q. Can Procellera be used in conjunction with Oasis , Dermagraft and Apligraf?
A. There have been many anecdotal reports on the successful use of Procellera with Oasis. I am not aware of anyone who may have attempted the combination of Procellera with Dermagraft and /or Apligraf. Currently , Vomaris does not recommend the combined use of Procellera with any of these dermal substitutes, though future research is expected to address these issues.
#8.Q. What is the experience using Procellera in clean surgical incisions ?
A. Procellera is indicated for surgical incisions and the clinical results reported from the field and Preliminary findings from several ongoing clinical trials has been excellent. There have been no wound infections to our knowledge among the clinicians who use Procellera routinely on their incisions. This includes several orthopedic surgeons who are using Procellera exclusively for their joint reconstruction incisions. A trial is currently underway to determine the effect on pain control, infection and return of functional status in patients with total shoulder arthroplasty using Procellera compared to Placebo.
The effect of Procellera on scarring is being evaluated in an RCT looking at skin graft donor sites treated with half standard care ( opsite) and half Procellera . Preliminary results of this trial have shown significantly faster healing and superior scar appearance in comparison to standard care. The scientific evidence obtained in the study using Procellera on injured porcine skin, supported this clinical outcome. Histologic examination of the wounds revealed increased epithelial thickness, decreased eschar formation, and decreased neutrophil infiltration of the wounds treated with the bioelectric dressing in comparison to the control group. Studies were completed to examine genetic markers present in the healing tissue. The markers examined were: 1) The inflammatory cytokine interleukin‐1α (IL‐1α); 2) structural dermal collagen expression with COL‐1, the main component of mammalian skin; and 3) COL‐3, which is present in early phases of wound healing and typically replaced during wound maturation; 4) matrix metalloproteinase–9 (MMP‐9), an extracellular protease.
Early wound inflammation was reduced as indicated by down regulation of the levels of IL‐1α in the case of the bioelectric dressing compared to the polyester control side. Further, the IL‐1α expression peaked later in the case of the bioelectric dressing. These results are indicative of a delayed and suppressed inflammatory response with the bioelectric dressing. Reduced inflammation is associated with reduced pain and improved aesthetics in human wound healing. Similarly, the COL‐1, COL‐3 and MMP markers all indicated a favorable faster healing, with less scarring and better wound strength characteristics after application of Procellera compared to control areas. (For further scientific evidence please review our scientific summary by clicking the tab at the top of the blog posts -- )
Anyone with something to add on these or other topics --- we'd love to hear from you.