(E. Papazoglou, K. Pourrezaei, L. Zubkov, and M. Weingarten)

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Abstract: There are 18.8 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the United States. 14% will develop a chronic wound and more than 60 percent of nontraumatic lower-limb amputations occur in people with diabetes. Wound Clinics who see patients with challenging wounds need faster evaluation of the healing process to save costs, improve patient outcomes and to be able to transfer some of the wound care to less specialized environments. The current paradigm is measurement of wound size, by tracing or by digital imaging. This superficial evaluation delays proper treatment and results in continuation of non-efficacious products/methods which ultimately lead to amputations. The Drexel developed technology uses Near Infrared Spectroscopy to measure the level of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin at the wound site and compares it to a control/non-wound site. The time course of the oxygenated hemoglobin was found to be a strong indicator of wound healing. Chronic wound healing assessment is further enhanced with the added capability to vary sensor penetration depth by adjusting probe design.

This technology was licensed to an independent startup company formed to commercialize this technology. The company is looking for capital to fund the device development.