We were excited to be part of the Wild on Wounds Conference 2016 inLas Vegas. It took place from Aug. 3rd to Sept. 1st and attracted more than 1,257 healthcare professionals interested in enhancing their knowledge in the skin and wound management.

Thank you to everyone that came out to meet us at our booth! And it was also really great to run into Kevin from Tissue Analytics again. We really love how Kevin and his team are revolutionizing wound care objectively and automatically measuring chronic wounds, burns, and skin conditions with their HIPAA-compliant iOS and Android apps.

Highlights from Wild on Wounds 2016

One of the key highlights from WOW 2016 was the inspiring presentation by WCEI co-founder Nancy Morgan on “Treating Chronic Wounds – Diabetes”. Nancy stressed the importance of keeping A1C under control. When A1C is over 7 and not tightly controlled, people living with diabetes can be at risk of diabetic foot ulcers due to the combination of neuropathy and peripheral arterial disease (PAD).Neuropathy or nerve damage can result in loss of protective pain sensation. PAD is a decrease in circulation which impedes wound healing. Together, this combination makes a person living with diabetes unable to heal and unable to feel, and therefore the key is finding injuries as soon as they occur and before they escalate to ulcers.Nancy presented that the only proven way to detect injuries in advance is through temperature monitoring (see below).

Nancy talked about a number of devices that can help monitor your foot’s temperature, but unfortunately, most of these devices are fairly unintuitive to use and come at a high cost. Some cost more than $700! Therefore, we are looking forward to bringing to market our Siren Smart Socks, which detect temperature and injuries in real time, to help people living with diabetes have an affordable and easy-to-use tool to keep their mobility.

Networking at the WOW Pool Party

The networking event after the conference was a great opportunity for all attendees to connect and enjoy the best that Vegas has to offer! We chatted to a bunch of RNs from all over the country. Even had a chance to meet some…Showgirls and Chippendales. ????

Healing Wounds With Maggot Debridement Therapy

Friday, September 2nd – Ran and Marc had the chance to participate in Ron Sherman´s maggot therapy – a super practical hands on session where they learned how maggots can help clean wounds from dead tissue and thus speed up the healing process of deep wounds significantly. We even got to apply live maggot dressings to mock wounds.Ronald A. Sherman, MD, MSc, DTM&H co-founded Monarch Labs where he serves as the Laboratory´s Director to meet the increasing demand for maggots and uphold the high production standards.

Preventing Diabetic Foot Ulcers.

Following Nancy Morgan´s talk on Treating Chronic Wounds in Diabetes, David M. Hardin, a General Surgery Specialist, gave an impressive presentation encompassing everything you need to know on diabetic neuropathy and DFUs. He shared shocking numbers where he stated that out of 25% of people with diabetes who develop foot ulcers, over 25% will not heal. Out of those 25% result in amputations. That might sound like a small number but it means that worldwide every 20 seconds a limb is lost to diabetes.

“Save a foot and you can save a life”

But there are ways to prevent these ulcers from happening in the first place – regular foot checks are crucial to detect any injuries or sores ahead of time. David also mentions that proper foot care, like trimming nails, is very important as well as regular checks on the patient’s neuropathy. They usually encompass checking your muscle strength and tone, tendon reflexes and sensitivity to touch, temperature and vibration. To learn how to how Siren Temperature Sensing Socks can help you find injuries on your foot click here.Want to stay in touch with the Siren Care community?Subscribe to our newsletter for more!– Siren Care Team+++++More from 2016:Siren Care Exhibits at American Association of Diabetes Educators Conference AADE2016[comment]