A controlled, randomized, comparative study of a radiant heat bandage on the healing of stage 3-4 pressure ulcers: a pilot study

Abstract

Objectives: Pressure ulcers, like other chronic wounds, fail to proceed through an orderly and timely process to produce anatomical or functional integrity. Treatment of pressure ulcers is directed to improving host factors and providing an optimum wound environment. In addition to providing a moist wound environment, it has been theorized that preventing hypothermia in a wound and maintaining a normothermic state might improve wound healing.

Design/setting: Forty-one subjects with a stage 3 or stage 4 truncal pressure ulcer >1.0 cm(2) were recruited from outpatient clinics, long-term care nursing homes, and a rehabilitation center. The experimental group was randomized to a radiant-heat dressing device and the control group was randomized to a hydrocolloid dressing, with or without a calcium alginate filler. Subjects were followed until healed or for 12 weeks.

Results: Eight subjects (57%) in the experimental group had complete healing of their pressure ulcer compared with 7 subjects (44%) with complete healing in the control group (P = .46).

Conclusion: Although a 13% difference in healing rate between the two arms of the study was found, this difference was not statistically significant. At almost all points along the healing curve, the proportion not healed was higher in the control arm.