Page 14 - OxyBand Research Background
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OxyBand Dressing Accelerates Wound Healing
disrupting the vascular supply and increasing oxygen consumption (Tandara & Mustoe,
2004; Chang et al., 1983); this drop is a key factor that limits the rate of healing (Khanna
&Wallace, 2002.). Stress also delays healing through multiple mechanisms in superficial
and surgical wounds including peripheral vasoconstriction which limits wound perfusion
and thus systemic delivery of oxygenation (Broadbent et al., 2003; West, 1990).
A recent study using an ischemic rabbit ear model demonstrates the efficacy of
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sustained 100% topical oxygen using an oxygen generator at 3cc hr on
epithelialization in wound healing (Said et al., 2005). This model simulates the
conditions that result in chronic ischemic wounds. Histologic analysis of the full
thickness 7mm punch wounds evaluated on day 5 and day 8, post procedure shows
significantly greater healing in response to oxygen treatment and most significantly,
epithelial wound coverage almost doubles in treated ear wounds when compared with
controls (Said et al., 2005).
Even moderate increases in oxygen levels at normal atmospheric pressure have
shown increases in the closure rate of open wounds, with an improvement in healing
rate demonstrated with continuous exposure up to 45% (Utkina, 1964). It has also been
demonstrated that 93% of the oxygen incorporated into the hydroxyl groups of newly
synthesized hydroxyproline, a key element in epidermal wound healing is derived from
the atmosphere (Prockop, 1963). Since the control of the local wound environment is
dependent on local perfusion and the diffusion of oxygen from the atmosphere,
treatment that encourages an increase in oxygen (O2) tension in the wound fluid will
tend to increase the rate of healing (Winter, 1970; Silver, 1980). Despite the research in
this field, topical oxygen treatments are not standard of practice.
While hyperbaric oxygen is a standard of practice and reimbursed for treating
chronic non-healing wounds, clinical studies applying various topical oxygen modalities
for wound care have been criticized historically for being collective case studies and
anecdotal in nature rather than controlled clinical trials that can clearly delineate and
quantify outcomes (Feldmeier, 2005). The clinical studies reported here were designed
to address these issues by randomized controlled clinical trials against both a standard
of care dressing as well as a placebo to demonstrate the outcomes for a specific and
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