Commentary on the Conversion to an Advanced Standard of Care for the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Other Chronic Wounds

Abstract

There have been notable contributions in the literature regarding the consensus for a new standard for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. The more recent advances in wound care therapies, modalities, and evidence-based research have demonstrated that an advanced standard of care for wound healing should exist. Failure of treatment protocols, which center on a 50% area of wound reduction within 4 weeks as a response to standard conventional care, should indicate the use of adjuvant therapies. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), growth factors, human-derived bioengineered tissue, and extracellular matrix products are readily available. This commentary will explore a brief selection of the current wound care literature as it relates to the acceptance of a new advanced standard of care. Furthermore, the intention is to stimulate further discussion and thought on the relevance of this approach in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers and chronic wounds and how it may correlate with the ultimate outcome of healing in general.