Wound care can often be a challenging conundrum that Podiatrists face, especially when we are trying to manage the detrimental effects of diabetes, neuropathy, and peripheral vascular disease. It often becomes a balancing act of adequate blood flow and blood sugar while preventing abnormal pressures on the foot and, heaven forbid, an infection. It can be a very rewarding experience when the wound is completely closed and healed.

We work very hard to offload wounds, prevent and treat infections, ensure that patients are receiving adequate blood flow to the feet, and encourage them to manage their diabetes properly. However, even with all those factors in alignment, sometimes we need an extra push from regenerative medicines. One that we have recently incorporated into our treatments is called Kerecis Omega3 Wound, which is an FDA-indicated intact fish skin graft that is used for tissue regeneration. Some of its benefits include being homologous to human skin, no risk of viral disease transfer, and it maintains natural structure and elements like Omega3 fatty acids. It also proved effective in clinical trials as compared to human amnion/chorion membrane allografts.

All of that sounds nice and magical but sometimes we need to see it with our own eyes to say this is an effective tool in our arsenal for the wound care war. So when a high-risk type 2 diabetic patient recently came into our office and suffered from a deep-penetrating wound in their interspace that would not heal with conservative treatment for 4+ weeks, I felt that Kerecis had its opportunity to prove its abilities. I was shocked at the results: not only did the patient heal but did so with only two applications of the skin graft. The wound had gone from penetrating down into the bottom of the foot to a closed, natural-looking interspace all within one month. Needless to say, the patient and I were thoroughly pleased with the progress of her wound and the fact that we avoided any serious tissue loss or evolution into a more severe infection.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to use some of the best chorion/amnion membranes in my training and they can play a vital role when the wound environment needs a more favorable condition via stem cells, collagens, and anti-inflammatory components. At Next Step Foot & Ankle Clinic, we are constantly working to provide the best care for our patients and offer them effective solutions and Kerecis has proven itself as a great tool for the treatment of our patients.