Dr. Laura Heath is the best Foot and Ankle surgeon in Phoenix, Arizona. Contact today!

1. Amniotic membrane wound graft is
effective for difficult-to-treat
ulcerations

2. Dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane allografts
appear to be a viable option for chronic lower extremity
ulcerations refractory to standard of care therapy,
researchers reported at Desert Foot 2014 in Phoenix, AZ.
The mean number of weeks to wound closure was 5.89 in diabetics and 5.94 in non-diabetics.

3. Dr. Laura Heath, with the Phoenix Veterans
Administration Health System, presented results
in 40 patients who were successfully treated with
dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane
(dHACM) graft to full epithelialization.
Study participants had undergone prior treatment
for a chronic lower extremity foot ulcer that had
failed to heal for at least 4 weeks after the start
of treatment.
Subjects underwent sharp debridement to remove
non-viable tissue with a variety of adjunctive
therapies including moist dressings, antibiotic
ointments and negative-pressure therapy.

4. In prior research, dHACM has been shown to
contain growth factors that facilitate wound
healing including PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB, bFGF, TGF-
β1, EGF, VEGF, and PlGF, as well as anti-
inflammatory interleukins (IL-1ra, IL-4, IL-10), and
TIMP-1, TIMP-2, TIMP-4, which help regulate the
matrix metalloproteinase activity, Dr. Heath
pointed out.
Follow-up in the study ranged from 4 to 108 weeks.
The mean wound size at the time of the initial
dHACM application was 2.79 cm2 in the 22
diabetic patients, 4.96 cm2 in the 18 non-diabetic
patients and 3.36 cm2 in the combined groups.

5. The mean number of dHACM applications was 3.36
in diabetics, 3.11 in non-diabetics and 3.25 in the
combined groups.
The mean number of weeks to wound closure was
5.89 in diabetics, 5.94 in non-diabetics, and 5.90
in the combined groups.

6. dHACM is 'a useful wound healing modality'
"Given the clinical risks and high cost associated
with treating lower extremity ulcers, the
development of treatment strategies to improve
healing rates and reduce healing times is
warranted," Dr. Heath said.
"Overall, the results indicate that dHACM is a useful
wound healing modality for recalcitrant lower
limb ulcers," she added.
Jill Stein is a Paris-based freelance medical writer.

7. Contact Us:
Dr. Laura Heath Podiatrist
202 E Earll Dr, Ste 360, Phoenix, AZ 85012
Phone No: 480-444-7477
CONSULTING ENQUIRIES: 515-669-9089