An innovative tool could offer surgeons an effective way to detect bacteria and improve patient outcomes.
Chronic wounds often fail to heal within several months, posing a significant risk of infection.
The presence of bacteria in these wounds is common and if left untreated, can lead to severe complications, including amputation. This issue is particularly concerning for patients with diabetic foot ulcers.
According to the American Diabetes Association, about 20% of those who develop these ulcers may require lower-extremity amputations.
Debridement, the process by which physicians clean out a wound, aims to remove as much bacteria as possible.
However, a significant challenge remains: many bacteria are invisible to the naked eye and may be missed during this procedure.
New research from Keck Medicine of USC, published in Advances in Wound Care, introduces a cutting-edge approach to enhancing bacterial detection.
The study focuses on autofluorescence (AF) imaging, allowing surgeons to quickly assess the extent and type of bacterial infection in a wound.
‘This technology could significantly improve how surgeons identify and remove bacteria, particularly for patients with diabetic foot ulcers,’ said Dr David G Armstrong, a podiatric surgeon and limb preservation specialist at Keck Medicine and senior author of the study.
‘Early bacterial detection is crucial in preventing severe infections and reducing the risk of amputation.’
The research, which analysed 25 studies on using AF imaging in diabetic foot ulcers, revealed the technique detects bacteria in nearly 90% of cases missed by traditional clinical assessments.
Surgeons must rely on lab testing to identify the specific bacteria present in a wound after debridement, which can delay appropriate treatment by several days.
With AF imaging, doctors can make immediate decisions during the debridement process, improving treatment efficiency.
Another key advantage is the potential to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use. Surgeons can initiate targeted treatments by identifying bacteria in real-time, potentially avoiding prolonged antibiotic prescriptions and contributing to antibiotic resistance.
‘This real-time imaging could lead to quicker, more precise treatment for chronic wounds,’ Armstrong noted.
Surgeons at Keck Medicine are already incorporating AF imaging into their practice, successfully treating patients with chronic wounds, including those suffering from diabetic foot ulcers.
‘We anticipate that further research will establish AF imaging as a standard practice in wound care,’ Armstrong added.
The study received support from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the National Science Foundation’s Centre to Stream Healthcare in Place (C2SHiP).
