3M upgrades make negative pressure wound therapy with instillation easier for clinicians to initiate

ST. PAUL, Minn., Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 3M Health Care's Medical Solutions Division has advanced the delivery of 3M™ Veraflo™ Therapy. A new 3M™ Veraflo™ Cleanse Choice Complete™ Dressing Kit and a software upgrade for the 3M™ V.A.C.^® Ulta Therapy Unit was introduced at no increase cost to the customer. These new offerings help simplify the care delivery processes for clinicians using Veraflo Therapy (negative pressure wound therapy with instillation) and help make dressing changes easier, faster, and less painful for their patients as compared to previous Veraflo Therapy dressings.

Wound care experts use Veraflo Therapy for patients with open soft tissue wounds to help cleanse and stimulate formation of granulation tissue. A recent publication by Gabriel et al Effects of Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy with Instillation versus Standard of Care in Multiple Wound Types: Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis, shows that Veraflo Therapy demonstrated significant clinical advantages and economic savings versus other advanced wound therapies, including traditional negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). When Veraflo Cleanse Choice Complete Dressing is used in conjunction with Veraflo Therapy, the combination helps to disrupt, soften, solubilize and remove thick, exudate and non-viable tissue when immediate wound cleansing is needed or when surgical debridement must be delayed or is not possible.

"3M offers a broad range of wound care solutions because clinicians need a robust tool selection," said Ronald Silverman, M.D., 3M Health Care senior vice president of clinical affairs and chief medical officer. "We continue to find ways to innovate to meet their unique wound care needs and address the changing nature of wound care. Today's wound care patients are often sicker and have more comorbidities, making their wounds more complex to treat and increasing the demands on clinicians' time. We strive to make our products easier to use to help save clinicians' valuable time and, ultimately, transform patient outcomes and improve their lives."

Software upgrade

The V.A.C.^® Ulta Therapy Unit is the only negative wound pressure therapy device that delivers four therapy options, enabling clinicians in the acute care setting to manage open abdomens, closed incisions, and open soft tissue wounds across a wide range of complexities, including size, contamination, and etiology.

The device's newly upgraded software, which includes the 3M™ Smart Instill™ Feature for use with Veraflo Therapy, automates therapy initiation and makes it easier for clinicians to initiate therapy. Additional upgraded functionalities include animated video troubleshooting, an instill phase postpone feature, a therapy inactive alarm time delay providing clinicians a choice to delay alarms during dressing changes, along with the updated default therapy settings. These new default settings are based on the recommendations of a global panel of wound care leaders as outlined in a 2020 NPWT with instillation consensus guidelines update document published in International Wound Journal. Kim PJ, Attinger CE, Constantine, T et al. Int Wound J.2020;17:174–186.

"Veraflo Therapy with Smart Instill Feature helps remove the guesswork and difficult aspects of setting up NPWT with instillation for patients. You push a button or two and the software guides you through the decision-making process, significantly decreasing the time involved in administering the therapy," said Marc Matthews, MD, MS, MCG, FACS, Arizona Burn Center associate director.

The software upgrade has been completed in all US rental units. Owned units will be upgraded beginning in 3Q22.

Dressing kit

Based on clinician feedback, the new Veraflo Choice Cleanse Complete Dressing Kit was developed to simplify dressing application and reduce the number of SKUs and ancillary products used to manage open soft tissue wounds. The kit's new dressing is a single piece, which users may find easier to apply than the current three-piece dressing. The three-piece dressing is still an available option for users who are accustomed to this design. This kit is also the first time the 3M™ Dermatac™ Drape is included in a Veraflo Therapy Dressing Kit.  Dermatac Drape is constructed of a unique silicone-acrylic hybrid material that is gentler than acrylic drapes on patients' skin at removal, leading to less painful dressing changes. During application the drape can also be repositioned, which simplifies clinicians' efforts.   

The combination of the Smart Instill Feature and the Veraflo Cleanse Choice Complete Dressing Kit make Veraflo Therapy easier than ever to apply. Now, clinicians can choose a more innovative therapy option, without the challenge of increased complexities or costs while positively impacting the patient's experience. For more information visit www.3M.com/Veraflo.

About 3M NPWT

3M launched NPWT in 1994 and has been a global category leader ever since. 3M NPWT products are trusted in over 60,000 hospitals, homes, and businesses worldwide. More than 10 million wounds have been treated worldwide with 3M™ V.A.C.^® Therapy and more than 75% of published NPWT clinical evidence is based on V.A.C.^® Therapy. 3M's comprehensive portfolio of advanced wound care solutions is backed by clinical evidence across new and growing categories such as dressings, disposables, digital technology and connectivity.

About 3M

3M (NYSE: MMM) believes science helps create a brighter world for everyone. By unlocking the power of people, ideas and science to reimagine what's possible, our global team uniquely addresses the opportunities and challenges of our customers, communities, and planet. Learn how we're working to improve lives and make what's next at 3M.com/news or on Twitter at @3M or @3MNews.

NOTE: Specific indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, and safety information exist for these products and therapies. Please consult a clinician and product instructions for use prior to application. Rx only

SOURCE 3M