LINK News

The BIOMES poster showcases a novel tool for early wound assessment, focusing on Blood flow, Infection control, Off-loading, Metabolic/Co-morbidities, Exudate/Moisture/Bioburden, and Social/Economic Barriers. This framework helps clinicians determine wound risk levels and tailor interventions accordingly. Real-world cases demonstrate how early recognition and treatment using BIOMES can lead to successful wound healing, reducing chronic wound prevalence and improving quality of life for patients.

Explore the latest guidelines for managing venous leg ulcers (VLU) with the newly published S2k guideline from the German Society of Phlebology and Lymphology (DGPL). This comprehensive document, titled "Diagnosis and Treatment of Venous Leg Ulcers: S2k Guideline of the German Society of Phlebology and Lymphology (DGPL) e.V," was created under the leadership of the DGPL to unify the diverse approaches and knowledge of various professional groups. The guideline aims to provide a cohesive treatment framework, offering 70 specific recommendations divided into key areas of diagnostics, therapy, prevention of recurrences, and everyday challenges. One of the recommendations is the emphasis on balanced exudate management. The guideline highlights the use of wound dressings with superabsorbers, which can absorb significant amounts of exudate even under compression therapy and maintain good retention, optimizing the healing environment. This guideline consolidates the best practices and consensus of leading experts to ensure optimal patient care. For detailed insights and to read the full document, please refer to the publication by the DGPL.

Wound care expert Luxmi Dhoonmoon, Nurse Consultant in Tissue Viability and Queen's Nurse, presents an on-demand webinar titled "Using Wound Balance in Dark Skin Tones to Support Clinical Decision Making and Improve Wound Healing." Dhoonmoon guides clinicians on enhancing clinical confidence and outcomes through wound balance, particularly in dark skin tones. The webinar aims to transform clinical practice, eliminate outdated methods, and deepen understanding of wound healing. Clinicians will learn best practices in wound care for all patients, improving their skills and reducing suboptimal practices. Essential for healthcare professionals in wound management.

Presented at SAWC Fall 2023, Laura Swoboda´s poster explores the concept of wound balance—a framework that integrates the science of wound healing with patient-specific factors that can hinder successful outcomes. The key management strategy involves identifying and mitigating factors such as inflammation, biofilm, nutritional deficiencies, co-morbid disease control, social determinants of health, and lifestyle before chronicity sets in. Enhance your clinical practice with these insights for better outcomes for patients with complex wounds.

Discover the latest international consensus on implementing the Wound Balance concept into routine practice. This document offers a simple therapeutic protocol, easily applicable in clinical and home care settings, to standardize first-line treatment and reduce care variations. Key recommendations include using silicone SAP-dressings for early wound intervention, empowering clinicians to provide effective care even without immediate specialist input. Enhance your wound care practices with these essential guidelines.

Discover the essential guidelines for effective debridement with the latest international consensus document, spearheaded by Dieter O. Mayer and a panel of clinical experts. Debridement, a critical component of wound bed preparation, involves removing devitalized tissue, foreign material, microorganisms, and other harmful elements to optimize healing and prevent infection. This comprehensive document consolidates the latest evidence, research, and expert opinions to establish a consensus on debridement principles and techniques. The recommendations apply to all patient populations, ensuring a wide-reaching impact on clinical practice. The multidisciplinary panel, which convened in a closed meeting in July 2023 in the UK, has played a pivotal role in defining these best practices. Read the full document in the Journal of Wound Care, Volume 33, Issue 6, Supplement 6, 2024

Chaired by Ina Farrelly, with insights from Sharron Trouth and Charlotte Keaveney, this session aims to support clinicians in identifying wounds at risk of becoming chronic and implementing early interventions. Learn how to recognize and overcome barriers to wound progression to improve patient outcomes. This is a recorded webinar from a live session at EWMA May 2024 in London. Watch the full discussion and gain valuable strategies for better wound management.

The LINK for Wound Healing platform has expanded its accreditation to include Continuing Education (CE) credits, complementing its existing CPD certifications. This enhancement supports U.S. healthcare professionals in meeting their ongoing educational requirements through high-quality, accessible online courses. The LINK E-Learning Program remains dedicated to advancing global wound care expertise, now with added credentials to aid professionals in their practice and career development.

Wound care experts, Dr. Laura Swoboda and Dr. Alton R. Johnson Jr., break down their AWC Fall posters and detail the Wound Balance Concept. Through cases and discussion, they demonstrate what achieving Wound Balance looks like and the benefits to the patient and care team.

Two patients were selected due to the complex needs of their wounds and the impact the wounds were having on their quality of life. To improve the wound healing outcomes for both patients the authors utilised a multidisciplinary approach to help deliver holistic care to the patients.

This poster explores the use of a HRWD dressing to aid the healing of a lower limb wound that was at risk of amputation. The dressing used was Hydroclean® Advance. Hydroclean® Advance contains Ringer’s solution which is donated into the wound, thus facilitating the softening and debridement of devitalised tissue. It also contains superabsorbent particles which bind and sequester debris and bacteria.

Emily Salmeron, Tissue Viability Specialist Interest Nurse, demonstrates in this case study the impact pain can have on a patient’s quality of life and how changing wound treatment effectively can have a positive effect on wound healing.

Explore key strategies for effective wound management through this on-demand webinar, ‘Wound Balance Concept: Achieving Wound Healing with Confidence’. Dr. Alison J. Garten, Catherine Milne, and Dr. Laura Swoboda provide an in-depth discussion on optimizing wound care. Learn to identify and address the critical elements that impact wound progression, such as the significance of wound biomarkers and SAP-containing dressings. The webinar emphasizes a patient-centered approach, detailing how to tailor care based on individual patient needs and incorporating advanced wound care modalities that support natural healing processes.

Insightful case study from Steven Sims, Vascular Nurse Specialist, NHS, demonstrates how the use of a Hydro Responsive Wound Dressing (HRWD) has contributed to the patient avoiding a lower limb amputation.

LINK for Wound Healing E-learning is an online education program addressing multiple topics of interest for the daily practice of healthcare professionals in Wound Care. The CPD accredited modules cover well explained elements of physiopathology, medical protocols and guidelines related to wound assessment, diagnosis and the latest international therapeutic recommendations in Acute and Chronic Wounds and clinical best practice cases.

Luke Paterson's latest publication is designed to assist healthcare professionals across various backgrounds in understanding economic evaluations. The guide helps in assessing whether health interventions are cost-effective and provide value for money.

Learn how superabsorbent dressings are changing the game in managing lower extremity wounds. Dive into the comprehensive case series from Dr. Alton Johnson Jr. showcasing real-world applications and successes. Read his findings now and see the impact of innovative wound care solutions on patient care.

Discover expert insights on the optimal use of VivereX® single-use NPWT for complex wounds. An international panel evaluates how VivereX can best enhance clinical outcomes, with discussions on the 'Step-up, Step-down' approach for transitioning between VivereX and traditional NPWT in the prevention and early treatment of wounds. Authors: Tomasz Banasiewicz, Lenka Veverkova, Emilie Raimond, Marie Christine Planq, Balazs Banky and Marek Smolár

Discover groundbreaking strategies in wound care with Dr. Laura Swoboda's latest research. This poster delves into proactive wound management, addressing inflammation, biofilm, and other factors critical to successful healing. Learn how a goal-directed care plan can significantly improve healing outcomes.

Watch the international experts Dr. Alison Garten, Prof. Dr. Hans Smola, Sharon Trouth and Dr. Florian Dumas, explaining the benefits of the wound balance concept and applying it into clinical practice