Camera that can stop wounds getting infected

AHand-HeLd scanner that makes germs glow could help cut the unnecessary use of antibiotics. The gadget allows doctors to ‘see’ harmful bacteria in and around wounds and kill them before infection sets in — and if there is an infection, to treat it more effectively.

at least a dozen nHS trusts — including dartford and Gravesham, South Warwick-shire and manchester University nHS Foundation Trust — are trialling the device, known as molecuLight i:X, to improve the care of chronic wounds such as foot ulcers and bed sores, which affect more than a million patients a year.

Wounds are defined as ‘chronic’ if they take more than six weeks to heal. They can lead to limb amputation if they don’t respond to treatment.

The key issue is that bacteria are invisible to the naked eye. Infection is only detected if there are obvious symptoms, such as swelling, or after a swab is taken and sent to a lab for testing.

But swabbing is an inexact procedure, and areas where bacteria lurk can be missed.

now the new £7,500 portable scanner means doctors get on- the- spot results showing where the bacteria are within the wound, even when there are no infection symptoms.

This allows doctors to take more accurate swabs for analysis so the lab can determine all types of harmful bacteria in the wound. By doing so before an infection becomes serious, doctors can treat it more effectively.

It may mean the patient won’t need antibiotics; or as long a course of the drugs. This minimises their risk of building resistance to antibiotics.

Wounds that are scanned also heal quicker because doctors can identify and destroy the germs that slow down the process of skin repair, as bacteria can create a physical barrier to wound closure.

The device is positioned about 10cm from the chosen area. When the light is switched on, it activates molecules in bacteria called fluorophores which give off a coloured glow in response.

Harmful bacteria show up as red, while healthy skin appears green on a screen.

The device is programmed to detect only clinically significant amounts of bacteria that require action. It can also store photos of the wound, so doctors can track how well it is healing.

a study published in January in the journal Wound Care found the camera greatly reduced the time taken for wounds to heal compared with standard care, and was simple and quick to use.

michael Clough, 36, was one of the first patients to benefit from the device. He was injured in a parachute jump in 2012 and had to have his left leg amputated above the knee. MICHaeL,

a former soldier and now a project manager from Yorkshire, continued to suffer severe infections in the remaining part of his leg.

In January 2016, doctors at University Hospitals Birmingham used the molecuLight to pinpoint every area of bacteria in his wound. He was then given intensive treatment using antiseptic liquid to wash out the bacteria, followed by several months of antibiotics.

When the wound was scanned again in april 2017 the bacteria had gone, and he’s not needed antibiotics for a year.

His specialist, Steven Jeffery, a burns and plastics consultant surgeon at University Hospitals Birmingham, said: ‘Bacteria often hide in corners. With this gadget I could see exactly where they were and work out how many days of treatment was necessary. every-one dealing with wounds should have this device.’