Addressing the Peri-Wound Intact Skin of Hard-To-Heal Diabetic Foot Ulcers With Topical Red Deer Conditioned Media (PTT-6^TM) Skin Conditioner: A Case Series on Clinical Efficacy

Background and aim: The healing of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) can be hindered by the susceptibility of the surrounding intact skin to pro-inflammatory proteases. A conditioned media, known as PTT-6^TM, derived from mesenchymal stem cells found in the lining of red deer umbilical cords, has been formulated to protect the intact peri-wound skin of DFUs. The aim is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of PTT-6^TM in managing peri-wound intact skin in hard-to-heal DFUs.

Methods: Patients with DFUs that persisted for over 3 months were divided into two subgroups. The active wound group received standard-of-care treatment protocol followed by PTT-6^TM application around the peri-wound area, while the maintenance wound group applied PTT-6^TM media over the healed wound site.

Results: Forty cases were recorded, of which 22 (55%) were included in the active wound group. The majority were male (75%, n = 30) and vast majority had cardiovascular risk factors, including diabetes mellitus (100%, n = 40), hyperlipidemia (82.5%, n = 33), and hypertension (77.5%, n = 31). Most patients had forefoot wounds (80%, n = 32) on the plantar aspect (82.5%, n = 33). The patients in the active wound group had chronic DFUs for a mean of 218 ± 201 days. Of those treated with PTT-6™ media, 68.4% (n = 13) achieved complete wound healing within a mean duration of 69 ± 50 days. Additionally, most patients in the maintenance wound group remained ulcer-free at 3 months (91.7%, n = 11) and 6 months (66.7%, n = 6).

Conclusion: The study results suggest that PTT-6^TM media may serve as an additional treatment modality for enhancing the microenvironment at the peri-wound intact skin site. This could indirectly facilitate wound healing by preserving the integrity of the peri-wound intact skin.