Use of an Oxidized Regenerated Cellulose and Collagen Composite for Healing of Chronic Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Ulcers of lower extremities are often resistant to therapy in diabetic patients. It has recently been reported that the activity of proteases is crucial in wound repair (1), but excessive protease activity can damage granulation tissue, delaying healing. It is noteworthy that protease activity is elevated in fluid from chronic, nonhealing wounds (1). A recently described protease inactivator matrix (Promogram; Johnson & Johnson, Skipton, U.K.), composed of oxidized regenerated cellulose and collagen, has been shown to reduce elastase, plasmin, and metalloproteinase activity in chronic wound fluids of diabetic patients, stimulating wound repair process (1,2). Both of the components of this matrix, oxidized cellulose (3) and collagen (4), have been reported to accelerate the healing of diabetic …