CClinicalTrials.gg
Status unknownNCT03516422Updated May 4, 2018

Investigating Ultrasound Debridement in Wound Care

An interventional study of ULTRASOUND DEBRIDEMENT and STANDARD CARE GROUP in Diabetes, sponsored by Unity Health Toronto. Status unknown. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2018-05-04.

Sponsored by Unity Health Toronto · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

The sponsor has not verified this record recently (last verified Apr 2018), so the status shown — last known as Not yet recruiting — may be out of date.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
10
Allocation
Non-randomized
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The initial step of wound management, debridement, is thought to be critical in promoting wound healing. Of the numerous debridement modalities, ultrasound seems to hold promising results in accelerate healing in our own clinical experience here at St. Michael's Hospital. In brief, ultrasound debridement is a method of removing devitalized tissue through microstreaming and cavitational effects. The non-thermal energy up-regulates cellular activity and promotes growth factor and protein synthesis, fibrinolysis, and is anti-bacterial . The technology selectively emulsifies dead and dying tissues with micro-sized gas bubbles, stimulates membranes of surrounding healthy cells, and renders bacteria more susceptible to antibiotic treatment. Thus, in addition to creating an optimal environment, the modality also serves to promote the process of healing. A systematic review and meta-analysis by Voigt et al. (2011) examined the use of low-frequency (20-30 kHz) ultrasound in randomized-controlled trials. It was found that low or high-intensity delivery of low-frequency ultrasound both promoted early healing in lower-extremity wounds. At St. Michael's Hospital, ultrasound debridement is already being used in the wound clinic with promising results. However, objective comparisons need to be made to validate our clinical observations. The goal of the proposed pilot study is to assess the feasibility of our current study design. The information gathered will allow us to refine the research methodology for the development of a larger-scale study.

Read the detailed description

Ultrasound debridement is a method of removing devitalized tissue through microstreaming and cavitational effects. The non-thermal energy up-regulates cell activity and promotes growth factor and protein synthesis, fibrinolysis, and is anti-bacterial. The technology selectively emulsifies dead and dying tissues with micro-sized gas bubbles, stimulates membranes of surrounding healthy cells, and render bacteria more susceptible to antibiotic treatment. Thus, in addition to creating an optimal environment, the modality also serves to promote the process of healing. At St. Michael's Hospital, ultrasound debridement is already being used in the wound clinic with promising results. However, objective comparisons need to be made to quantify and qualify our clinical observations. The goal of the proposed pilot study is to assess feasibility of our current study design and allow us to refine the research methodology for the development of a larger-scale study.

02

Conditions studied

  • Diabetes

Keywords

  • ultrasound debridement
  • diabetic foot ulcer
  • chronic wound
  • biofilm
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Unity Health Toronto is the lead sponsor of 434 studies on the registry; 76 are open to participants now.

Of its 5 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 1 (20%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  1. Subjects with chronic (>4 week duration) lower extremity wound (of any etiology) that have failed to improve despite using the clinic's standard approach for wound care during a 2-week period (Failure to improve is defined as less than 15% reduction in wound area)

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Subjects with clinical evidence of wound infection
  2. Subjects with thick eschar that has not been removed
  3. Subjects with severe arterial insufficiency: Absence of pedal pulses, Ankle Brachial Index \< 0.3, Toe Pressure \< 20
  4. Subjects who are receiving advanced wound therapy treatment: hyperbaric therapy, biological dressings
  5. Subjects who are taking antibiotics
  6. Subjects who are using systemic steroids
  7. Subjects who have known contraindication to the dressing product (Acticoat®)
  8. Subjects who are not able to adhere to dressing change protocol or hospital visits
  9. Subjects with wound area reduction of > 15% during the initial two-week standard care period.
  10. Subjects without sufficient English language proficiency to understand the consent form.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
Single (Participant)
Enrollment
10 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Placebo comparator
    STANDARD CARE GROUP

    The subject positioned so absorbent pads are in position to catch irrigation solution. The saline bottle will be held 10-15 cm from wound bed, and squeezed to spray all surfaces of wound in a sweeping motion, from clean to dirty area of wound. Irrigation will be repeated as necessary to remove exudate, slough, and debris from the wound until the solution draining from the wound is clear. Peri-wound skin will be cleansed using gauze and sterile normal saline and dry. Packing material will be applied (Acticoat®) into the wound cavity, undermining, or tunnel to fill the dead space without causing the wound to stretch or bulge or be packed tightly. Packing should be in contact with entire wound base and edges. Dressings changed once every 3 days by the patient's care provider.

    Other: STANDARD CARE GROUP

  • Experimental
    ULTRASOUND DEBRIDEMENT GROUP:

    Low-frequency ultrasound SonicOne O.R. (Misonix, New York, US) generates ultrasound waves with 22.5 kHz frequency. Each probe is attached to a set of irrigation solution (saline 0.9%), they transform electric energy into mechanical vibrations to induce tiny particles of water from irrigation fluid. Absorbent pads are positioned to catch excess saline. With SonicOne set at continuous mode with minimum pump flow, the debridement will begin at most distal aspect of ulcer with the hand piece in constant motion until entire ulcer surface has been debrided until as much necrotic tissue has been removed. Peri-wound skin will be cleansed using gauze and sterile normal saline and dry. Packing material will be applied (Acticoat®) into wound cavity.

    Procedure: ULTRASOUND DEBRIDEMENT

Interventions

  • ProcedureULTRASOUND DEBRIDEMENT

    Low-frequency ultrasound SonicOne O.R. (Misonix, New York, US) generates ultrasound waves with 22.5 kHz frequency. Each probe is attached to a set of irrigation solution (saline 0.9%), they transform electric energy into mechanical vibrations to induce tiny particles of water from irrigation fluid. Absorbent pads are positioned to catch excess saline. With SonicOne set at continuous mode with minimum pump flow, the debridement will begin at most distal aspect of ulcer with the hand piece in constant motion until entire ulcer surface has been debrided until as much necrotic tissue has been removed. Peri-wound skin will be cleansed using gauze and sterile normal saline and dry. Packing material will be applied (Acticoat®) into wound cavity.

  • OtherSTANDARD CARE GROUP

    The subject positioned so absorbent pads are in position to catch irrigation solution. The saline bottle will be held 10-15 cm from wound bed, and squeezed to spray all surfaces of wound in a sweeping motion, from clean to dirty area of wound. Irrigation will be repeated as necessary to remove exudate, slough, and debris from the wound until the solution draining from the wound is clear. Peri-wound skin will be cleansed using gauze and sterile normal saline and dry. Packing material will be applied (Acticoat®) into the wound cavity, undermining, or tunnel to fill the dead space without causing the wound to stretch or bulge or be packed tightly. Packing should be in contact with entire wound base and edges. Dressings changed once every 3 days by the patient's care provider.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Wound healing

    Healing of the wound

    Time frame: 8 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in biofilm microbiome

    Shift in biofilm to reflect wound healing

    Time frame: 8 weeks

  2. Reduction in bacterial colonization

    Decreased bacterial colonization to reflect wound healing

    Time frame: 8 weeks

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Publications

  • Alguire PC, Mathes BM. Skin biopsy techniques for the internist. J Gen Intern Med. 1998 Jan;13(1):46-54. doi: 10.1046/j.1525-1497.1998.00009.x. PubMed 9462495 ↗
  • Altland OD, Dalecki D, Suchkova VN, Francis CW. Low-intensity ultrasound increases endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase activity and nitric oxide synthesis. J Thromb Haemost. 2004 Apr;2(4):637-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1538-7836.2004.00655.x. PubMed 15102020 ↗
  • Gardner SE, Frantz RA, Saltzman CL, Hillis SL, Park H, Scherubel M. Diagnostic validity of three swab techniques for identifying chronic wound infection. Wound Repair Regen. 2006 Sep-Oct;14(5):548-57. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2006.00162.x. PubMed 17014666 ↗
  • Miller CN, Newall N, Kapp SE, Lewin G, Karimi L, Carville K, Gliddon T, Santamaria NM. A randomized-controlled trial comparing cadexomer iodine and nanocrystalline silver on the healing of leg ulcers. Wound Repair Regen. 2010 Jul-Aug;18(4):359-67. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-475X.2010.00603.x. PubMed 20636550 ↗
  • Sibbald RG, Woo K, Ayello EA. Increased bacterial burden and infection: the story of NERDS and STONES. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2006 Oct;19(8):447-61; quiz 461-3. doi: 10.1097/00129334-200610000-00012. PubMed 17008815 ↗
  • Wu YC, Kulbatski I, Medeiros PJ, Maeda A, Bu J, Xu L, Chen Y, DaCosta RS. Autofluorescence imaging device for real-time detection and tracking of pathogenic bacteria in a mouse skin wound model: preclinical feasibility studies. J Biomed Opt. 2014 Aug;19(8):085002. doi: 10.1117/1.JBO.19.8.085002. PubMed 25089944 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No — No sharing of data

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 4, 2018, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03516422
Lead sponsor
Unity Health Toronto
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
May 4, 2018
Start date
Nov 2018 (estimated)
Primary completion
Sep 2019 (estimated)
Completion
Sep 2019 (estimated)
Last update
May 4, 2018

Study contacts

Karen Cross, MD, PhD
Contact
crosska@smh.ca
416-864-6060 ext. 3868
Julie Perry, MSc, PhD
Contact
perryj@smh.ca
416-864-6060 ext. 77393
Karen Cross, MD, PhD
principal investigator · Staff Plastic Surgeon

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is status unknown, as verified in Apr 2018. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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