Healthcare Industry News:  V.A.C. 

Devices Wound Care

 News Release - June 27, 2006

Panel of Experts Updates Guidelines for Use of KCI's V.A.C.(R) Therapy on the Diabetic Foot

Opinion Leaders Provide Current Clinical Evidence and Best Practices around Application of Vacuum Assisted Closure(R) Therapy


SAN ANTONIO--(HSMN NewsFeed)--June 27, 2006--Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (NYSE: KCI ), a global medical technology company with leadership positions in advanced wound care and therapeutic surfaces, today announced the publication of new clinical guidelines around the use of KCI's Vacuum Assisted Closure® or V.A.C.® Therapy in the treatment of the diabetic foot. The new guidelines were published by a multidisciplinary panel of experts at a consensus conference held in February 2006 in Miami, and are intended to update the findings presented in the 2004 guidelines from the Tucson Expert Consensus Conference (TECC) on V.A.C.® Therapy. Specifically, the latest guidelines weigh the most current clinical evidence, refute or confirm current consensus, provide practical clinical guidance and best practices to clinicians treating diabetic foot wounds, and help to direct future research.



The original TECC guidelines published in 2004 were a significant step in establishing V.A.C.® Therapy as a standard of care to help promote wound healing in the diabetic foot. The 2006 Miami updates add to a growing base of clinical evidence, which now includes several randomized controlled trials and numerous published clinical studies and abstracts supporting its clinical efficacy. Specifically, the Miami consensus panel discussed and lent comment on a series of questions relating to the application and usage of V.A.C. ® Therapy.

"It was a pleasure participating in this outstanding program evaluating a promising modality amongst such a distinguished group of clinician-scientists," said David G. Armstrong, Professor of Surgery, Chair of Research and Assistant Dean of the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Armstrong served as Chair of this interdisciplinary panel. "As with the TECC panel in 2004, this group of leading clinician-scientists was convened under the shared objective of evaluating and assembling the latest clinical evidence. And I believe I speak for the consensus panel when I say that the evidence presented in Miami further assists in improving care. Clearly, there is a vibrant, ongoing dialogue happening among practicing clinicians and academia that suggests that this technology holds great potential in the treatment of these most complex patients."

General consensus, as presented in the updated guidelines:

  • V.A.C.® Therapy is rapidly becoming a standard of care for complex diabetic foot wounds, and can be used in conjunction with a variety of other advanced wound care modalities;
  • Optimal use of this modality helps convert complex wounds into more manageable wounds;
  • Combining V.A.C.® Therapy with adequate offloading and debridement can yield consistently positive results.

KCI's Medical Director, Dr. Adrianne "Patti" Smith added, "Consensus offered by this esteemed group further elevates KCI's V.A.C.® Therapy as an important addition to wound management strategies for complex diabetic foot wounds, and builds on the body of research brought to light in the 2004 guidelines. Incidence of diabetic foot wounds is on the rise worldwide and this upswing is likely to continue. More than ever, it is critical to keep current the sort of informed perspective that will drive appropriate use while delivering enhanced wound healing with KCI's V.A.C.® Therapy System."

The consensus document was published in each of the following HMP Communications' publications as a special supplement: the June 2006 issues of WOUNDS and Ostomy/Wound Management, and the July 2006 issues of Podiatry Today, and Vascular Disease Management. To obtain the Consensus document in full, please contact a local KCI representative at 1-877-WOUNDVAC.

The Consensus conference was sponsored by an educational grant from KCI and authored by independent clinical experts and thought leaders. Some of the information represents the views and opinions of these experts based on their practice and expertise. The guidelines generally discuss the benefits of normal healing and specific indications for use, and KCI encourages the clinician to consult specific indications, contraindications, warnings and precautions from the V.A.C.® Therapy Clinical Guidelines, product literature and Instructions for Use prior to application.

About V.A.C. ® Therapy

KCI's advanced wound care systems incorporate their proprietary Vacuum Assisted Closure®, or V.A.C.® technology, which has clinically demonstrated to help promote wound healing and may help reduce the cost of treating patients with difficult-to-treat wounds.

About KCI

Kinetic Concepts, Inc. is a global medical technology company with leadership positions in advanced wound care and therapeutic surfaces. They design, manufacture, market and service a wide range of proprietary products that can improve clinical outcomes while helping to reduce the overall cost of patient care. The advanced wound care systems incorporate their proprietary V.A.C.® technology, which has clinically demonstrated to help promote wound healing and can help reduce the cost of treating patients with serious wounds. KCI's therapeutic surfaces, including specialty hospital beds, mattress replacement systems and overlays, are designed to address pulmonary complications associated with immobility and to prevent skin breakdown. KCI has an infrastructure designed to meet the specific needs of medical professionals and patients across all health care settings including acute care hospitals, extended care facilities and patients' homes both in the United States and abroad. Visit www.kci1.com for more information.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform act of 1995, as amended, including statements regarding the incidence of wounds that are appropriate for V.A.C.® therapy and the impact of the body of evidence in establishing V.A.C.® therapy as a standard of care for treating certain wounds. All forward-looking statements included in this document are based upon information available to KCI as of the date hereof and KCI assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.


Source: Kinetic Concepts

Issuer of this News Release is solely responsible for its content.
Please address inquiries directly to the issuing company.



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