Newswise — Complex wounds affect more patients in the United States than heart attack and stroke combined, and five to seven million Americans with complex wounds account for over $20 billion in healthcare expenditures. About 150,000 amputations a year result from complex wounds, while about 80,000 are attributed to diabetes and peripheral arterial disease. There are currently no established methods for early detection of wound healing, or for precise identification of healing progress. Wound size is the only accepted indicator despite its variability and the fact that is reflects only what is happening on the surface.
