01 Jun Isle of Wight NHS Trust shares geko™ device success stories in wound care
Stuart Elliot, Tissue Viability Nurse at Isle of Wight NHS Trust, recently joined our Director of Wound, Fiona Young, to host a webinar outlining the role of the geko™ device in accelerating the rate of healing. The webinar arrived at an exciting time following the publication of our recent landmark multi-centre randomised self-controlled trial (RCT) in the International Wound Journal which reported an acceleration in the rate of healing of venous leg ulcers by more than double in patients treated with the geko™ device versus standard of care alone.
Enhancing wound healing with the geko™ device
Stuart outlined his patients’ experiences with the geko™ device for accelerating the rate of healing of a mixed aetiology ulcer, a 20-year-old hard-to-heal leg ulcer, and a deep punched-out ulcer. The results, outlined below, have improved the quality of life for his patients and provided them with new hope.
Improved Mobility…
Mr. J is a mixed aetiology ulcer patient who had poor mobility. Able to move around only in short distances, he wanted to wear only a very limited amount of dressings, which meant he was unable to benefit from standard of care and this ultimately led to the need for a new solution.
Mr. J was introduced to the geko™ device and in only one week of using the geko™ device his skin condition improved, along with a considerable reduction in exudate and oedema. Mr.J reported an improvement in his quality of life.
Reducing Oedema…
Another of Stuart’s patients, Mr. A, had a leg ulcer that had persisted for 20 years, which he had self-treated for 14 years. In opting to self-manage as much as he could, this had led to an extremely oedematous leg and damaged skin. He was keen to try the geko™ device for one month and the results were significant.
The level of oedema decreased and the skin condition in his lower limb improved significantly. He further reported that this was the first time he felt like he was in control of his ulcer for many years. By using the geko™ device, within the space of two months his leg ulcer was nearly completely healed.
Relieving Pain…
Mrs. R’s ulcer began as an insect bite and after 5 months of self-treatment, using over the counter products, the wound developed into a deep-punched leg ulcer. This resulted in Mrs. R being unable to work due to pain, which she reported as 9/10 on a pain scale.
Mrs. R was prescribed hosiery but requested to revert back to bandaging as she found hosiery too uncomfortable. The bandaging, however, showed no signs of healing the ulcer. She became more hopeful when introduced to the geko™ device which resulted in the ulcer healing within a matter of weeks, whilst at the same time reducing her pain score to 3/10. She found the geko™ device easy to apply and to adjust and most importantly, she was able to return to work.
Providing patients with new hope
These initial patient stories are just the start. Stuart has since introduced the geko™ device to a wider number of his patients with hard-to-heal ulcers, who are keen to accelerate healing and to feel more like themselves again.
According to a recent study, the total annual cost of managing 3.8 million patients with wounds was approximately £8.3 billion. Helping patients heal their wounds faster, and giving them the freedom to self-manage their wounds, will significantly reduce the physical and financial strain on healthcare systems and improve patient wellbeing. As demonstrated by Stuart and his patients at the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, the geko™ device offers new hope for patients with long-standing wounds and in releasing health system costs.
Watch the full video here.
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