Acute and chronic wounds burden healthcare systems across the globe. In the United States the cost of nonhealing wounds approximates 100 billion dollars.1-3 The presence of bacteria in and around the wound impedes wound healing. Clinicians treat elevated wound bacterial levels with mechanical and sharp debridement, topical antiseptics and systemic antibiotics. However, evidence on the best methods to reduce bacterial load is lacking. The EZ-1 clinical trial will utilize the latest fluorescence imaging technology to investigate whether mechanical debridement using the EZ Debride® tool reduces bacterial burden.
