Optimizing Surgical Outcomes With Amniotic Tissue for Chronic Wounds

Skin substitutes made from donated amniotic tissue are used in dermatology to transform chronic wounds into an acute state, improving the healing environment. These substitutes significantly enhance healing rates, reduce emergency admissions, and decrease the need for amputations when used alongside quality care practices like debridement and offloading.

Proposed Medicare changes that could limit access to these products would negatively impact patient care by reducing treatment options and potentially increasing infection risks and hospitalizations, underscoring the need for comprehensive coverage and interdisciplinary management.

Physician’s Weekly (PW) spoke with David Armstrong, MD, PhD, professor of surgery and neurological surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, to better understand the benefits of skin substitutes and how treatment could change under the proposed Medicare changes.