NEWS | Wound Care
Ask Chronic wound bacteria talk
to each other, scientists find
The Treatment Expert
Donna Sardina, RN,
MHA, WCC
President, Wound Care
Education Institute
By John O’Connor autoinducer-2 (AI-2). About
Listening in on bacterial “con- 1 in 5 produce a different type
Do you have any tips for treating versations” might help improve of communication molecules
denuded skin around a flush stoma? wound care, according to that are called acyl-homoserine-
Photo: iStockphoto
researchers at Binghamton lactones (AHLs).
The first thing I would check for is a prop- University in New York. “Based on our findings,
er and secure fit of the ostomy appliance “Bacteria, often viewed as we think that most resident
(pouch). Because a flush stoma is flat simplistic creatures, are in fact Bacteria in chronic wounds send species–the ‘good’ bacteria
and even with the skin level, effluent very sociable units of life,” said specific signals to each other. that live on us and don’t cause
(stool and urine) can become caught Alex Rickard, assistant profes- disease–produce AI-2 while
under the wafer, causing persistent leak- sor of biological sciences. “They chronic wound bacteria and to the pathogenic species typically
age, erosion of the skin barrier, short- can physically and chemically test their ability to produce cell- produce AHLs,” said Katelynn
ened wear time and skin breakdown. interact with one another and to-cell signaling molecules. Manton, who was part of the
Flush stomas and stomas recessed are quite selective about who Partial gene sequencing undergraduate team.
below the skin level require a special they hang out with. How bac- allowed the team to identify 46 The type of wound didn’t
pouch with a curved back, called convex- teria might communicate in chronic wound strains belong- seem to matter, she added. All
ity. Pouches can come with convexity chronic wounds, however, was ing to nine genera. Further indicated a presence of possible
built into them or you can buy the convex somewhat of a mystery.” research implied that close to AHLs or A1-2s, she said.
inserts separately. These convex inserts Rickard and a team of under- 70% of those chronic wound Findings appear in the
help the stoma protrude a little more and graduate researchers were able strains produce a specific type Dec. 22 issue of the Journal of
thus direct the flow of stool or urine into to identify specific types of of communication molecule- Applied Microbiology. ■
the bag rather than under the wafer.
Some other ideas:
• Dust peristomal skin with skin bar-
Testosterone receptor is tied to healing
rier powder prior to application of the By John O’Connor end of health—the elderly, or