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Ultrasound Assisted Wound Therapy

Ultrasound-assisted wound, or UAW, therapy is a relatively new method of treating deep wounds, including bedsores, diabetic ulcers and other injuries that are infected, have impaired circulation or require the removal of a patient's dead or damaged tissue (also known as debridement). This technique employs traditional ultrasound technology to separate dead tissue in order to promote faster healing.

  1. Procedure

    • Unlike surgical or sharp debridement, which utilizes surgical implements to remove damaged tissue, UAW is a noninvasive technique that employs low-frequency sound waves directed at the wound surface and surrounding tissues using an ultrasound probe. Wound irrigation fluid is then directed through an opening in the probe's tip. This fluid is placed on the wound surface to flush, and treat, the base of the wound. Because wounded tissue is weaker than healthy tissue, the UAW pulses are able to liquefy the damaged portions, as well as other wound debris, while leaving viable tissue unharmed. At the same time, the treatment stimulates cell activity and spurs wound healing.

    Treatment Time

    • In general, treatment time is based on the size of the wound area, with typical treatments taking anywhere from minutes to hours. This non-contact ultrasound therapy may also be followed by an instrument debridement to remove extra dead or damaged tissue accumulated during the procedure. The portable device set-up, treatment, cleaning and wound sterilization can add approximately an hour to the total time of the visit.

    Patient Comfort

    • According to a study by doctors at the Today's Wound Clinic website, ultrasound therapy patients reported less pain than with a comparable debridement using sharp instruments. Additionally, the UAW procedure merely requires a topical anesthetic with pain further reduced by careful monitoring of probe movement, pulse intensity levels and the flow of fluids.

    Benefits of the Technique

    • While the effectiveness of treating some types of wounds using ultrasound-assisted wound therapy is debated among medical professionals, benefits of this technology include the ability to effectively treat select areas of tissues without direct contact to wounds, increased access to deep wounds marked by large openings under the skin's surface, and decreased pain for UAW-treated patients. Additionally, this technique has demonstrated success in the elimination of resistant bacterial organisms, thereby reducing the risk of infection. Because UAW does not involve invasive surgical procedures, the technique is normally more cost effective than surgical debridement. The lack of a surgical element also means that trained nurses and physical therapists can join physicians in facilitating UAW therapy.

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