Retrospective evaluation of the clinical effectiveness of an innovative catalytic wound care technology.

BACKGROUND: Chronic, nonhealing wounds have significant negative effects on both patients and the health system, including increased morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively examine the effect of an advanced wound care treatment that delivers catalytic technology to the affected area through polymers that mimic the extracellular matrix. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The proprietary catalytic treatment matrix (CTM) technology facilitates copper-dependent cellular signaling pathways within the wound healing process. Patients whose wounds were originally treated following standard wound care protocols and then subsequently transitioned to the catalytic technology (as determined by their physician), were recruited from a specialized outpatient wound care clinic in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Data were collected from charts for 19 patients with a total of 26 chronic wounds (venous leg ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers). Following initiation of the catalytic technology, time to wound closure was tracked via percent area reduction, or for up to 16 weeks if wounds did not close. RESULTS: The average age of the wounds prior to application of the CTM technology was 39 weeks. After transitioning to CTM technology, 81% of wounds closed within 16 weeks. Notably, 77% of the wounds closed within the first 8 weeks (±2 days) of initiating use. Overall, the average time to closure was 43 days (median, 35 days). CONCLUSION: CTM technology was shown to be an effective tool for improving time to closure of chronic wounds.