Spectroscopic Biomarkers for Monitoring Wound Healing and Infection in Wounds

The complexity and severity of the extremity wounds seen in recent military operations have necessitated the demand for improved wound assessment, before, during and after medical treatment. We have quantified parameters such as tissue oxygenation, tissue temperature and the molecular environment at specific locations within the wound, to better understand the wound healing process in various wound phenotypes. This has helped us to establish which parameters are most important for a correct initial assessment of the wound along with a more accurate wound healing prediction. We will apply the same research strategy to wound healing in a civilian trauma center. The parameters bearing the most weight will be used to diagnose trauma wounds and predict patient outcome.