PolyMem
CLINICAL EVALUATION OF A SEMIPERMEABLE POLYMERIC MEMBRANE DRESSING FOR THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS
From Diabetes Care 17:4 April 1994 John D. Blackman, M.D., Daniel Senseng, M.D., Lauretta Quinn, R.N., M.S., Theodore Mazzone, M.D.,
Objective - To evaluate the utility of a semipermeable polymeric membrane dressing (Ferris PolyMem) for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.
Research Design and Methods - Nineteen subjects with either insulin - dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and foot ulcers were randomly assigned to Ferris PolyMem or conventional wet - to - dry saline dressings. Subjects had foot ulcer site measurements performed every three weeks. The subjects using conventional therapy were allowed to crossover to PolyMem dressings after 2 months. Furthermore, most patients when questioned at the end of the study did not change their weight-bearing status.
Results - Seventy three percent of the group treated with Ferris PolyMem healed completely after 6 months. No antibiotics, disinfectants or packing were used with PolyMem dressings. At the end of 2 months, in patients using Ferris PolyMem, ulcer size was reduced to thirty percent of baseline. The patients on conventional therapy had an ulcer size of one hundred and five percent of baseline (P < 0.03). Patients initially treated with wet-to-dry saline were crossed over to PolyMem treatment and demonstrated a decrease to thirty five percent of baseline size after and additional 2 months. After 6 months, 8 of 11 subjects treated with Ferris PolyMem healed completely.
Conclusions - The semipermeable polymeric membrane dressing (Ferris PolyMem) is a useful therapeutic option for treating uncomplicated chronic diabetic foot ulcers.
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