Wound Care Challenges

There are many options available for treating different wounds, however, many challenges, such as antibiotic resistance, infection relapse and the use of non-optimal wound dressings, remain persistent. ²¹

Factors that can affect wound healing:

Wound Infection:^22-25

A wound infection occurs when bacteria or other microorganisms enter and multiply in a wound. This can delay the natural healing process, cause increased pain, and prevent surgical wounds from closing properly.

Wound infection is a challenge. Furthermore, the infection is not always apparent and will be identified only through symptoms and clinical signs. Research indicates that 70% of clinicians treat wounds without culturing them to identify the infection.

Common Risk Factors for Infection:

Advanced age
Diabetes
Immune system disorders
Cancer or HIV infection
Malnutrition
Limited mobility (e.g., wheelchair use or bed confinement)
Hospitalization – especially due to exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Antibiotic Resistance:

The use of topical antibiotics on clean surgical wounds has not shown to reduce the rate of infection compared to non-antibiotic ointments—or even no ointment at all. Only wounds that show symptoms of infection should receive appropriate antibiotic treatment.³

Antibiotic resistance is increasing rapidly due to overuse—especially when antibiotics are applied to wounds that are not infected.

	75% of patients (in the USA) use over-the-counter topical antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription.³
	Over 1 in 5 of these patients (21.6%) develops contact dermatitis.³

Beyond topical treatments, systemic antibiotics are used for infected wounds that lead to significant side effects (e.g., microbiome disruption, severe burning of skin, swollen glands, sore throat, fever and/or body aches), impeding their use for long-term treatments. Nearly 20% of patients experience adverse drug events from systemic use.²⁶

Antibiotic resistance is a global health issue, and the unjustified usage of antibiotics should be avoided.

Stratamed is a viable alternative to topical antibiotics in the prevention of infections without the risk for contact dermatitis.³

Stratamed is a viable alternative to topical antibiotics in the prevention of infections without the risk for contact dermatitis.³

Physical dressings:

Wounds are traditionally managed with physical bandages and dressings. While they can provide basic protection, these conventional methods often come with significant challenges.²⁷ Some of the challenges that physical dressings presents are:

	Not always suitable: Many physical wound dressings can be difficult to apply on irregular or contoured areas — such as around joints or in deep or tunneling wounds — where they fail to make full contact. This can leave parts of the wound exposed and vulnerable. Removal can also be painful if the dressing adheres to the wound surface. These dressings may also limit mobility, restricting patients’ movements and negatively impacting daily activities and quality of life.
	Non-Transparent: It could be difficult to monitor, and complications are not detected until it becomes very serious.
	Allergic Reactions: Adhesive parts can cause allergic reactions leading to delays or complications in the wound healing outcome.
	Cost Intensive²⁸: Treating a single problematic wound can cost up to $9,500 per patient. With 27–50% of hospital beds occupied by patients with wounds—and average hospital stays costing $3,000 per day—any delay in healing significantly increases healthcare costs. Additionally, some dressings are not suitable for home use, requiring extra nursing care for proper application and monitoring and adding to the overall expense.

One tube of Stratamed replaces the need for multiple wound care products such as traditional dressings, hydrogels for moist wound healing and topical antibiotics used for the prevention of infections.

Scars:

	Scars are among the most common and frustrating results after a skin injury (i.e. surgery, accident, disease) and can have a physical as well as a psychological impact.³²
	Scars are the natural outcome of the wound healing process. The more the skin is damaged and the deeper it is damaged, the longer and more complicated the rebuilding process – and the greater chance of developing a noticeable scar.
	A normal scar usually develops during the first 48 hours after wound closure and fades in 3 – 12 months with an average time of 7 months.³³
	Delayed epithelialisation, extending beyond 10 to 14 days, can significantly increase the risk of hypertrophic scarring.⁵
	The appearance of scars and related side effects can be significantly improved if prevention and treatment begin immediately after suturing or once a wound has occurred.⁶

Hypertrophic Scar

Keloid Scar

Stratamed can be applied immediately after suturing or on open wounds, allowing abnormal scar prevention to begin earlier than ever before (before suture removal).

In recent clinical studies, Stratamed showed the same efficacy as topical antibiotics* in preventing infection following surgical procedures, but without side effects.^3,29

*Bacitracin Zinc, Neomycin Sulfate, and Polymyxin B Sulfate (Neosporin® Original). | Bacitracin Zinc (Bacitracin®).