A low-cost wound management system for primary care
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A low-cost wound management system for primary care
IRAS ID
248008
Contact name
Steven Jeffery
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cadscan Ltd
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 2 months, 31 days
Research summary
This project will assess the performance of a novel, non-invasive diagnostic platform to assist in wound categorisation, treatment planning and monitoring of healing. Specifically, this research will assess how well the sensors can measure the volume of an open surface wound and detect the presence of certain bacteria. This information can then be used by the clinician to determine how well the wound is healing and to inform subsequent treatment planning.
The study will seek participants with active wounds.
We will undertake the research at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Birmingham, in the burns unit. This has been chosen because of the high risk of infection associated with burns, therefore enabling the presentation of a high proportion of potentially infected wounds. Burn wounds are also dynamic and likely to show some change over the study period. In contrast, wounds such as leg ulcers are often static, meaning that a much larger sample size would be required.
The study will last 3 months, with each volunteer having their wound imaged on several occasions so that changes can be measured.
The treatment and management of wounds is a significant burden for healthcare providers. A recent study found that the NHS treats an estimated 2.2 million wounds per year, with an annual cost of £5.3b. Of these, nearly £1.2b resulted from hospital admissions and day cases, and £1.2b in drug prescriptions. Wound management is a largely nurse-led discipline and the absence of specialist experience results in 30% of wounds lacking differential diagnosis. A key problem is a lack of continuity caused by inconsistency in diagnosis, clinician and wound dressings, and a failure to follow approved guidelines. Improving these systems of care could produce significant clinical and economic benefits.REC name
East Midlands - Derby Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/EM/0002
Date of REC Opinion
20 Mar 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion