Utility Of A Three-Dimensional Wound Measurement Device In Pressure Ulcers

Introduction: Depth assessment is important for severe pressure ulcers (PUs); however, a device for the metric measurement of wounds, including depth, is lacking in clinical settings. Recent technological advancements have enabled the evaluation of the depth of wounds, and three-dimensional measurements are now available. The aim of this study was to test the utility of a newly developed three-dimensional wound measurement device in the clinical setting.Methods: We recruited three patients, each with a PU, who were being treated by a PU team at a university hospital. We measured the length, width, area, and maximal depth of the ulcers by using the device and with the conventional method. The ulcer volume was measured only with the device. The difference in measurement results of the device before and after debridement was compared in the first patient. The difference in measurement results between the conventional method and the device was compared in the second patient. Correlation coefficients between the conventional method and the device obtained from longitudinal data were calculated in the third patient.Results: The changes in measurements between before and after debridement were easily detected by the device in the first patient. Although the maximal depth was different, the length, width, and area were consistent between the conventional method and the device in the second patient. The correlation coefficients of the length, width, and area between the conventional method and the device were 0.35, 0.48, and 0.59, respectively, in the third patient whose PU exhibited a vague wound edge.Conclusion: Although two-dimensional measurements were comparable between the conventional method and the device, there were some challenges to performing three-dimensional measurement more precisely. A further study is needed to determine the specific characteristics of wounds that result in poor measurement accuracy.