Update from the WUWHS meeting #1
The WUWHS 2016 meeting was held at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence, Italy (see lead feature photo). There were over 6000 delegates attending from countries all around the world. Amongst them, a strong contingent of Aussies – presenting and attending.
The majority of the information presented at the meeting was not new but perhaps a reaffirmation of what has been learned thus far. However, there are developments and new ideas to share with you.
I will present a number of posts which will capture something of what I gleaned from the Conference. Here is the first one.
1. Static Stiffness is a concept that applies to hosiery as well as bandages. Ensuring patients have adequate hosiery performance depends on three variables – stocking size, interface pressure and stiffness. We await the publication of hosiery categories which contain all three pieces of data. High stiffness hosiery have better performance over their weartime.
2. The International Skin Tear Advisory Panel (ISTAP) performed a world-wide survey of clinicians and found that of the 1127 returns, 81% of respondents did not use a classification system. The ISTAP Classification utilises Stage 1 – a skin flap that can be completely realigned; Stage 2 – a skin flap that can not be realigned; Stage 3 – absence of a skin flap. ISTAP also report that 80% of skin tears occur on the upper limbs, however this may be a problematic figure as many lower leg wounds which become classified as ulcers may in fact have begun as skin tears but were not identified as such.
3. Dr Vincent Maida presented a paper on the topical use of medical cannabis oil on wounds. Cannabinoids have been identified as being anti-inflammatory, anti-neoplastic and analgesic. In fact their pain reduction action seems to be fast and enduring. Wound etiologies which have demonstrated a positive response to cannabinoid application include Pyoderma Gangrenosum and various forms of vasculitis.