Cellulitis
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Research results from New York University update knowledge of foot ulcer
2009 JUL 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- "Chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers, venous ulcers, and pressure ulcers are a major source of morbidity and mortality. To describe wound characteristics associated with a wound emergency, the Wound Electronic Medical Records (WEMR) of 200 consecutive admissions (139 patients, average number of admissions 1.4) to a dedicated inpatient wound healing unit over a period of 5 months were retrospectively reviewed," scientists in the United States report. "mean age was 62 +/- 16 years, 59% were men, 27% had a foot ulcer and diabetes mellitus, and 29% had venous ulcers. Presenting signs and symptoms included wound pain,. cellulitis, nonpurulent drainage, and undermining, but few presented with classic local clinical signs of infection. Treatment consisted of sharp debridement with deep tissue culture and pathology from the wound base and/or systemic antibiotics. Twenty-percent (20%) of patients had pathology-confirmed and 38% had pathology- or radiology-confirmed osteomyelitis on admission, supporting that new or increasing wound pain, cellulitis, and/or nonpurulent drainage or presence of significant undermining may be indicative of an invasive infection and that patients presenting with these signs and symptoms require an immediate treatment plan and consideration of hospital admission. Use of an objective documentation system such as the WEMR may help alert clinicians to subtle wound changes that require aggressive treatment; thereby, avoiding emergency room visits and hospital admissions," wrote M.S. Golinko and colleagues, New York University. The researchers concluded: "Future research is needed utilizing the WEMR across multiple medical centers to further define criteria for a chronic wound emergency.." Golinko and colleagues published their study in Ostomy Wound Management (Wound Emergencies: The Importance of Assessment, Documentation, and Early Treatment Using a Wound Electronic Medical Record. Ostomy Wound Management, 2009;55(5):54-61). For more information, contact H. Brem, New York University, School Medical, Helen & Martin Kimmel Wound Center, Dept. of Surgery, Division Wound Healing & Regenerat Medical, 301 E 17th St., New York City, NY 10003, USA. Publisher contact information for the journal Ostomy Wound Management is: H M P Communications, 83 General Warren Blvd., Ste. 100, Malvern, PA 19355, USA. Keywords: United States, New York, Cellulitis, Diabetes, Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetic Foot, Endocrinology, Foot Ulcer, Infectious Disease, Osteomyelitis, Ostomy, Pathology, Pressure Ulcer, Surgery, New York University. This article was prepared by Diabetes Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Diabetes Week via NewsRx.com.
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