PREVENA RESTOR AXIO•FORM Negative Pressure Wound Therapy: Interview with Dr. Ronald Silverman, 3M’s

3M recently announced a new negative pressure wound therapy system called PREVENA RESTOR AXIO•FORM Incision Management System, which has been available since August. The new system expands the amount of time that negative pressure can be applied to a total of 14 days, with a dressing change at 7 days.

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The included disposable dressings are available in larger sizes, allowing the system to provide treatment for surrounding soft tissues and be used with a greater variety of wounds. The dressings are connected to a V.A.C. therapy unit to achieve negative pressure, and the system is suitable for use with sutured or stapled wounds.

The company reports that the PREVENA RESTOR AXIO•FORM can reduce edema, help to remove infectious material, stabilize the incision, and reduce the time required for recovery. In particular, the system is well-suited for lower extremity fractures in which swelling is an issue and complications can frequently interfere with recovery and rehabilitation.

See a video about the technology below.

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Medgadget had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Ronald Silverman, Chief Medical Officer at 3M about the technology and its implications.

Conn Hastings, Medgadget: What are the benefits of negative pressure wound therapy?

Dr. Ronald Silverman, 3M: V.A.C.® Therapy has been used for over 25 years to create an environment that promotes healing in open wounds by applying negative pressure to the surface of an open wound. The benefit of this controlled form of negative pressure is that it mechanically draws together the margins of the wound, creates a moist wound healing environment, and removes wound drainage and infectious materials. At a cellular level, the negative pressure promotes the formation of new tissue.

Recently, we leveraged this technology to support closed surgical incisions and launched PREVENA™ Therapy, the first and only negative pressure system to receive an FDA indication (2019) to aid in the reduction of both seromas and superficial surgical site infections in class I & II wounds for patients at high risk of postoperative complications. The broader benefits of reducing surgical site complications include reducing hospital readmissions, lower cost of care, and better patient experience.

Medgadget: Please give us an overview of the PREVENA RESTOR™ Incision Management System. What types of wounds can the dressings be used with?

Dr. Silverman: The PREVENA RESTOR™ Incision Management System includes a PREVENA PLUS™ Therapy device that provides the negative pressure wound therapy and precision-designed PREVENA RESTOR™ Dressings which impact a larger surface area than the original PREVENA™ System. We know that PREVENA™ Therapy improves blood flow to the skin and reduces swelling. By covering a larger surface area, we can provide this benefit over the entire area involved in surgery, rather than just the incision area. This is particularly helpful for Orthopedic, Plastic and Reconstructive, and Vascular surgical procedures.

Medgadget: How have patients found the dressings in terms of comfort and convenience?

Dr. Silverman: Patients have voiced they have found the dressing comfortable and supportive. Some expressed they did not know how much of an impact it had in providing a supportive and splinting effect until the dressing was removed. There have been a few studies that have demonstrated a reduction in pain and one study that even measured a reduction in the use of narcotics while in the hospital. These are interesting potential benefits that we intend to investigate further.

Medgadget: How does the new PREVENA RESTOR AXIO•FORM™ Incision Management System fit in with the range? Is poor wound healing an issue with the surgical repair of lower extremity fractures?

Dr. Silverman: The PREVENA RESTOR AXIO•FORM™ Incision Management System has a broad application for use but has been used frequently for incision and surrounding soft tissue management of lower extremity fractures. The location of these fractures and the presence of hardware typically create a lot of swelling pre- and post-operatively. This swelling can create tension around the incision that can lead to infection and dehiscence, delay suture removal, lead to operation, or jeopardize long-term recovery and functional outcomes.

Medgadget: Is the system easy to apply and remove? How long can it remain in place?

Dr. Silverman: Yes, the PREVENA RESTOR AXIO•FORM™ System is easy to apply with its simple peel-and-place dressing design. The dressing will need to be changed after seven days, but the PREVENA PLUS™ Therapy device can provide closed incision negative pressure therapy for up to 14 days.

Medgadget: How does the system affect the length of hospital stays and the need for hospital visits?

Dr. Silverman: The PREVENA RESTOR AXIO•FORM™ System streamlines postoperative incision management.

Patients can go home with the system in place to facilitate a faster discharge home – it is simple to assemble and apply, reduces downtime spent teaching patients how to care for their incision, and only requires patients to return for dressing removal at the end of the therapy time.

PREVENA™ Therapy has been shown to reduce readmissions, reduce the burden of healthcare resources, and increase patient satisfaction – all factors which are particularly critical during the current pandemic.

The PREVENA RESTOR AXIO•FORM™ System is a new strategy for enhanced recovery for surgeons and helps set the stage for the best possible recovery for patients.


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