The American Professional Wound Care Association (APWCA) hosted its long-awaited in-person conference, Wound Week 2022, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in February. The 4-day conference was preceded by a comprehensive wound care review course and hands-on skills workshop, highlighting various new and innovative products in the wound care space. These were followed by 2 full days of education, celebration, and fruitful exhibition time. To kick off the event, AWPCA President Jeffrey A. Niezgoda, MD, FACHM, MAPWCA, CHWS, welcomed the attendees, recognized the Planning Committee, graciously thanked the conference's sponsors, and introduced the keynote speaker, Tyler Sexton, MD, FAPWCA, CHWS. Dr Sexton's discussion of his perspectives on healthcare as a patient and provider was refreshing and inspiring.
Each session supported the four aims of the APWCA: to advance wound care, educate wound care providers, facilitate quality wound care, and foster interprofessional collaboration. The agenda was wide ranging, and discussions were eye opening and timely. Topics included the shift to a quality-based healthcare model; combining surgical and advanced wound care to heal foot ulcers; diagnosing and treating peripheral arterial disease and chronic venous insufficiency; and innovative technologies such as novel skin grafts, topical oxygen, near-infrared spectroscopy, micronized purified flavonoid fractions, and shockwave technology.
Dr. Niezgoda was the moderator for a very lively and informative "great debate" discussing topical oxygen (Charles Andersen, MD) versus hyperbaric oxygen (Gregory Bohn, MD). The general conclusion from this affable session was that both modalities offer different benefits and thus may not be at odds at all!
The APWCA awarded Masters status to 11 individuals. The classes of 2021 and 2022 (Figure) included the following:
* David Armstrong, DPM, MAPWCA
* Frank Aviles Jr, PT, MAPWCA
* Christopher L. Barrett, DPM, MAPWCA
* Karen L. Bauer, DNP, MAPWCA
* Cheryl Carver, LPN, MAPWCA
* Nancy Collins, PhD, MAPWCA
* Elizabeth Faust, CRNP, MAPWCA
* Sandeep Gopalakrishnan, PhD, MAPWCA
* M. Mark Melin, MD, MAPWCA
* Mario Ponticello, DPM, MAPWCA
* William H. Tettelbach, MD, MAPWCA
Oral abstract award winners included first-place winner Dr Tettelbach on the observed impact of skin substitutes in the treatment of lower extremity diabetic ulcers; second-place winner Dr Melin on MTHFR polymorphisms in patients presenting to a wound clinic for evaluation and treatment; and third-place winner Dr Alisha Oropallo, who discussed the efficacy of a slow-release iodine-based foam dressing for moderate-to-large draining chronic wounds using fluorescence and digital imaging.
Throughout the conference, deeply engaged participants filled each and every session, asked incisive questions, and took advantage of networking opportunities with each other and the esteemed conference organizers. The bustling exhibit hall was fully booked with 40 exhibitors (and many more on the wait list), with tasty food and beverages available to enhance the experience of interacting with company representatives and learning about interesting new products. We congratulate the conference organizers on an extremely successful event and eagerly await details about the next Wound Week conference!