NATROX® Wound Care, a leading provider of advanced wound care technology for the treatment of chronic wounds, is pleased to announce Health Technology Wales (HTW) has published Guidance advising the routine adoption of NATROX® O₂ for the treatment of chronic, non-healing and complex diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).
“The status of [the] guidance is that NHS Wales should adopt this guidance or justify why it has not been followed.” ⁹
Following HTW’s prior Topic Exploration Report and Evidence Appraisal Report which analyse the merits of continuous Topical Oxygen Therapy (cTOT), this latest publication focuses on the clinical and health-economic outcomes of using cTOT when treating DFUs. It concludes that routine adoption of cTOT, in addition to standard of care, increases complete wound healing and reduces wound area and time to healing compared to standard of care alone – and all with cost savings.
“We’re thrilled to see Health Technology Wales advising the routine adoption of cTOT,” said Craig Kennedy, CEO of NATROX® Wound Care. “NATROX® O₂ is a game changer. It’s heartening that a well-respected, independent body has come to this same conclusion.”
The Guidance comes on the heels of NATROX® O₂ being added as an approved supplier to the UK’s NHS Supply Chain and NHS Shared Business Services. Adding the therapy marked the first time cTOT was listed as a category within these frameworks – a move further validating the therapy as an effective, needed treatment.
What is NATROX® O2
NATROX® O₂ is an innovative, easy-to-use device that uses oxygen to stimulate healing. The small, wearable device delivers low-flow oxygen directly to the wound 24/7. Clinicians can use it during any phase of wound healing, and it is compatible with any standard secondary dressing. Studies show patients with a chronic wound have a 71% greater chance of healing and experience a 73% greater reduction in wound size using NATROX®O₂.¹
How oxygen helps heal chronic wounds
A substantial body of evidence shows the vital role oxygen plays in enabling wound healing.2,3,4,5,6 Patients may experience stalled healing and develop a chronic wound due to low oxygen levels in the tissue called “local hypoxia.” Treating this remains a challenge for clinicians because it can result in compromised healing or non-healing wounds which remain open. However, studies show delivering low-flow oxygen to a diabetic wound can increase the rate of wound closure, by as much as 69%.⁷
The burden of diabetes
Chronic wounds, which include DFUs, pose a significant problem both on patient quality of life and costs to healthcare systems worldwide.⁸ DFUs are the single largest reason for hospital admissions in people with diabetes.⁹ Diabetes leads to 4 million deaths per year¹⁰, and, sadly, this disease is on the rise. Between 2019 and 2045 the estimated number of adults with diabetes worldwide will increase by 51% to as many as 700 million people.¹⁰
“We have the opportunity right now to reshape the future. We’ve all seen the statistics on diabetes—and frankly, they’re depressing. What motivates our team is seeing the positive impact NATROX® O₂ makes on wound care patients every day. Being included in this Guidance is another step towards shaping a future we can all feel inspired by,” said Kennedy.