3M (NYSE:MMM) announced today that it received FDA clearances for its Veraflo therapy with two different dressings.
The clearances cover the Veraflo Cleanse Choice Complete dressing and V.A.C. Veraflo Cleanse Choice dressing. 3M said they received the first-ever FDA clearance for hydromechanical removal of infectious materials, non-viable tissue and wound debris. This reduces the number of surgical debridements required. It also promotes granulation tissue formation, creating an environment that promotes wound healing.
“Veraflo Therapy gives wound care clinicians a proven tool to facilitate healing and reduce the need for surgical intervention,” said Dr. Ronald Silverman, 3M Health Care SVP of clinical affairs and chief medical officer. “This FDA clearance highlights 3M innovation at its best – using science to help improve patient outcomes with better, smarter, safer health care solutions.”
3M aims to improve the maintenance of clean wound beds for optimal wound healing. The company says it expects costs related to wound care-related infections to increase as the population ages and comorbidities rise.
3M designed its negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) dressings to hydromechanically remove non-viable tissue. The Veraflo products provide clinically proven therapy that can reduce the number of required surgical debridements. In doing so, they prepare the wound for closure faster and can help reduce the length of stay and therapy.
“As comorbidities rise, wound healing is getting more complex,” said Dr. Paul J. Kim, professor in the Department of Plastic Surgery & Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern. “Solutions that help reduce the number of surgeries and accelerate healing time not only help improve patient recovery, but also lower the total cost of care, creating a more efficient delivery of care for health systems.”