Successful Treatments with PMI Products Presented Afloat: “The Wound” on Neckar Cruise

“This year we’re on the Neckar; in the future we may even be hiring an Aida cruise liner. Attendee numbers are, after all, increasing steadily year on year.” With these witty and engaging words PMI’s Max Fröhlich welcomed guests and speakers at the second Polymedics Innovations (PMI) SwimPosium. Around 30 physicians—surgeons and specialists in burn medicine—took up the invitation to attend a conference afloat on the Neckar River between Stuttgart and Marbach on April 15. Its striking title “The Wound,” host Max Fröhlich explained, was modeled on Baden-Württemberg’s advertising slogan “The Länd.”

Revolutionizing Wound Healing

“The Wound” was, however, the right choice in that wound care was the subject of the day’s proceedings and a task that PMI has set itself for around 20 years. “Revolutionizing wound healing” is the company’s vision, a vision it has pursued mainly by means of the products Suprathel® and Supra SDRM® along with NovoSorb BTM®, of which PMI is the distributor.

Downstream with the Extensive Range of Experience with Suprathel

The speakers in the first block of “The Wound” dealt with their experience of using Suprathel®, a hydrolytic, resorbable synthetic membrane with properties similar to those of human skin. PMI’s Dr. Jadranka Dobra explained the reasons for the benefits of Suprathel®, these being a significant relief of pain, swifter healing and improved cosmetic results a lower infection rate, and decreased transplant rate. Dr. Nico Marathovouniotis of the Cologne Clinics reported on his experience of using Suprathel® to treat Stevens-Johnson syndrome (or toxic epidermal necrolysis), an allergic reaction to the administration of drugs. He noted as particular benefits the lower susceptibility to infection and the pain relief. Dr. Nastassja Becker and Dr. David Funk focused on Suprathel®’s limitations, suggesting an intensive exchange of experiences. Dr. Dorothee Rickert concluded the Suprathel® block with a report on the successful use of Suprathel® 250 in the ENT sector, especially in connection with carcinomas of the tongue.

Turning-point in Marbach am Neckar: Supra SDRM Successes Extend Beyond Chronic Wounds

Supra SDRM® is a product closely related to Suprathel® but with a more coarsely pored structure. It has been approved since 2014. The lectures by speakers Dr. Matthias Rapp of the Marienhospital in Stuttgart and by Dr. Hanspeter Kiefer made it clear that in addition to this “classical use” the application range of Supra SDRM is much more extensive. At the Stuttgart Marienhospital Supra SDRM® is used successfully to treat more severe burns, whereas Hanspeter Kiefer presented the benefits of Supra SDRM® in treating older, multimorbid patients. He noted in particular that outpatients could be treated with Supra SDRM®—treatment that is more comfortable and less expensive.

PMI has commissioned further studies on the use of Supra SDRM® from Joanneum Research Coremed at the University of Graz in Austria. Dr. Andrei Hecker of the Graz institute outlined their scope and status.

Upstream with NovoSorb BTM and Good Reconstruction Results

NovoSorb® BTM, which Polymedics Innovations distributes, is a further synthetic skin pad that complements PMI’s own product range. NovoSorb® BTM matrix is used as a dermal skin substitute for wounds that require a transplantation. It helps the body to form a dermis. Dr. Ina Nietzschmann of MVZ Bergmannstrost Halle, Dr. Sarah Fennel of the Olgahospital in Stuttgart and Dr. Alexandru Tocut from the pediatric clinic Karlsruhe dealt with the successful use of NovoSorb® BTM at their clinics. They featured numerous examples of trauma treatment and reconstruction successfully undertaken with NovoSorb BTM and were thereby able to show that it can be used successfully on wounds with exposed bones or tendons.