The LeucoPatch device uses bedside centrifugation of an 18-ml blood sample over 20 minutes without the addition of reagents, which was necessary in previous platelet-derived applications, to generate a disc comprising autologous leucocytes, platelets, and fibrin, which is applied to the surface of the wound.
An editorial discusses how easy it would be to deliver LeucoPatch in the context of a busy diabetic foot clinic, and whether it is cost effective. It notes that in addition to the promotion of ulcer healing, LeucoPatch might have been expected to prevent diabetic foot infection. However, the incidence of episodes of clinical infection did not differ between the two groups, and despite patients being under weekly supervision during the trial, new episodes of infection still developed, which was also true in the Explorer and ProNOx15 trials. It adds that the prevention of infection, as a complication of the unhealed ulcer, remains a challenge, particularly as it can lead to infective necrosis and major amputation. Therefore to avoid patients losing a leg to infection, the goal should be to heal ulcers as quickly as possible. It suggests that these three studies that have described interventions that significantly improve healing, compared with the relatively low rates of healing with usual therapy, should contribute to this aim.