3M has announced that the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a Medtech Innovation Briefing (MIB) regarding the use of VAC VERAFLO Therapy to promote wound healing in chronic and acutely infected wounds.
The system is part of 3M’s recently acquired KCI, an Acelity company, allowing 3M to focus on providing better care through patient-centered science, and helping to improve patient outcomes by protecting and healing skin.
Based on the evidence evaluated for the MIB, VAC VERAFLO Therapy—negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) coupled with automated installation—was shown to be more effective than standard of care (SOC), including moist wound care and traditional NPWT, in treating acutely infected or chronic non-healing wounds.
Additionally, the MIB referenced findings that the use of VAC VERAFLO Therapy could reduce patients’ length of hospital stay by 39%, and reduces the number of debridements from 4.4 to 2.0 in cases of acutely infected or chronic non-healing wounds.
“The versatility of VAC VERAFLO Therapy has altered my practice,” said Haitham Khalil, consultant oncoplasty and reconstructive Surgery, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.
“I have used VAC VERAFLO Therapy as both a bridge therapy prior to reconstructive surgery and a standalone treatment, and have seen first-hand its effectiveness in those with serious wounds. I believe this MIB will help expand access to VAC VERAFLO Therapy and I look forward to seeing the impact it has on patients.”
The opinions of specialist commentators, clinical specialists working in the field, were consulted in the development of the MIB.
Chronic and acute infected wounds take an emotional toll on patients and a financial toll on the National Health Service (NHS), costing upwards of three billion pounds per year. MIBs are developed by NICE to support NHS and social care commissioners and staff who are considering using new medical devices and other medical or diagnostic technologies.
