Kinder, Gentler Wound Care Emerges for an Older Population

LANGHORNE, Pa., Oct. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The population of elderly Americans will grow explosively as the Baby Boomer generation ages. In 2009—the last time these numbers were tallied—there were 39.6 million U.S. citizens age 65 and older, or about one in every eight people. By 2030, there will be some 72.1 million older persons—almost 20 percent of the population. To live with independence and dignity, these aging Baby Boomers will need a wide range of professional health and social service expertise, as well as home care and residential services. Health care providers are also concerned with another aspect of aging: wound care.

Experts say the right bandage options and special skin care can improve healing for elderly patients. However, wound care management is a delicate matter amongst the elderly, whose recovery from illness and injury takes longer, and ensuring that a wound doesn't become infected is crucial. In addition to the United States, many countries are looking into the issue of wound management. According to Geoff Sussman, an associate professor at Monash University and director of wound research for the Wound Foundation of Australia, much of the latest research centers on our understanding of what has gone wrong with a non-healing wound. This will lead to the development of new products that will correct the imbalance in the wound. The important issue in treatment is to fully identify the cause of the wound and then consider what properties the product to be applied requires.

One company that fully appreciates what Sussman is saying and is actively part of the solution is Alliqua Biomedical, Inc. The Langhorne, PA-based biopharmaceutical company is focused on transdermal wound care and has developed a transdermal delivery technology platform to deliver drugs and other beneficial ingredients through the skin. Its products are SilverSeal^®, a flexible, sterile, non-adherent hydrogel dressing that incorporates the antimicrobial properties of metallic silver-coated fiber; and Hydress^®, which, although not silver-based, mirror the flexibility, sterility and non-adherent properties of SilverSeal, and can similarly absorb twice its weight in wound exudate.

In addition, Alliqua has begun to market two innovative wound dressings from sorbion GmbH in the Americas. sorbion sachet S is a hydroactive wound dressing to manage moderately to heavily exuding wounds. sorbia sana is indicated as a primary dressing for exuding wounds of varying aetiologies.

As Alliqua's CEO David Johnson explains, "Patient comfort and protection for wounds at risk of infection is our prime concern. Our wound dressings conform to the wound even in difficult locations and can be removed without causing additional trauma. Hydrogels create a moist environment at the wound site that is ideal for healing, provide a cooling effect, and can be safely worn for up to seven days. Skin integrity reduces with age; that's a reality. But if wounds are treated and bandaged correctly, they can heal quickly."

For more information, please visit Alliqua.com which paid for the production and dissemination of this release. 

Contact:

Laura Radocaj, Dian Griesel Int'l., 212.825.3210

SOURCE Alliqua Biomedical, Inc.