Israeli Hospital Adopts Nanofiber Artificial Skin Burn Treatment System

Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa recently announced that it is formally adopting the Spincare wound care system, which uses electrospinning technology to heal wounds and burns without touching the patient, for its trauma department thus making it the first hospital in Israel to do so. 

“It is a very comfortable protection of the burn wounds,” Prof. Yehuda Ullmann, Chair of the Surgical Department and Director of the Plastic Surgery department at the Rambam Health Care Campus, tells NoCamels. “It adheres perfectly to the [injured] organ in a way that regular dressings cannot, it doesn’t need to be changed, it is washable, and it enables fast and painless recovery.”

SEE ALSO: Groundbreaking Israeli Medical Device Treats Burns Without Ever Touching The Patient

The novel treatment uses electrospinning technology to form a shield on top of a wound or burn. It is made by Nanomedic Technologies Ltd, a Lod-based company founded in 2018, that is advancing the standard of care and helping improve wound care across the healthcare continuum. 

Nanomedic’s flagship product is the Spincare System, the first and only CE-cleared commercialized portable electrospinning wound treatment device on the market. Spincare looks like a super-sized glue gun that shoots out nanomaterials to form a breathable and transparent skin substitute that mimics human tissue. 

Unlike traditional wound bandages and dressings, this artificial skin layer can be applied without touching the patient, does not require painful bandage changes and allows healthcare professionals to visually examine a wound. The nanomaterial artificial skin layer also allows for more mobility, and as it is waterproof patients can shower after 24 hours.

“Nanomedic’s Spincare System has many advantages, including protection against infection from contaminating bacteria. The biggest benefit for patients is the avoidance of the pain often incurred from changing bandages, especially when treating children,” says Ullmann. 

In February 2019, NoCamels featured the Spincare system in a report on Israeli burn treatment innovations. Nanomedic Technologies had just begun testing its new technology throughout Israeli hospitals. 

“The protective layer is applied from about 20 cm away from the wound, without touching the wound. It feels like a delicate wind on the wound. You apply it once and it remains on the wound for the healing process,” Dr. Chen Barak, Chief Executive Officer of Nanomedic, told NoCamels in the 2019 article. “It can take two to three weeks but the layer is there to protect the wound and to allow underneath healing of a new skin.”

Fast forward to 2021, and while Rambam Health Care Campus is the first hospital in Israel to formally add the system to improve its ability to heal wounds and burns, the wound care technology is already being used in clinics throughout Europe. Barak says plans “to enter the US market later this year as well” are also in development. 

Burn treatment innovation

The need for better burn treatment is a global health issue. Non-fatal burns are a leading cause of morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, disfigurement and disability, according to the World Health Organization. 

Moreover, non-fatal burns often result in “stigma and rejection,” reported the WHO.

In Israel, burns are the most common injuries among children, according to the Ministry of Health. In 2017, 3,286 children were treated for burn wounds at emergency wards and Terem clinics, according to data by the Ministry of Health.  

Rambam’s trauma center says it treats thousands of burns each year, many of which result from accidents at home or the workplace. 

Among the many incidents was the case of a 42-year-old worker who suffered second and third degree burns to his upper body when a pressurized hot water tank exploded.

“I arrived at the trauma center in excruciating pain with half my body covered in bandages,” the patient is quoted as saying a press statement. “Just two weeks after the Spincare treatment my skin had already started to grow back and replace the artificial skin. Today, the improvements following the treatment can be clearly seen.”

While the electrospinning technology is in use in other medical solutions, what makes this device different than others is its portability. Nanomedic says it is also the only company to minimize the electrospinning technology from large machine into a portable, bedside commercialized device. 

“Because the device is portable and easy-to-operate, burns that do not require hospitalization can be treated immediately in the emergency room, where the doctor can spray the substance on the patient’s burn,” Dr. Danny Kruchevsky, of Rambam’s Department of Plastic Surgery, says in a statement. “Patients can therefore be discharged sooner to recover at home and return to the hospital for any necessary follow-up examinations.”

The portability application means the device can be used pretty much anywhere. 

“It is very easy to use. Even for soldiers on the battlefield, a small ampulla can cover about 5 percent of the body surface area,” says Ullmann, reiterating that the technology protects against infection from contaminating bacteria.

Given the portability of the system, Spincare is expected to soon be available for use in clinics and emergency rooms in addition to trauma centers.

“Israel as a startup nation encourages innovations,” Ullmann tells NoCamels. “I am proud [to use an Israeli, homegrown innovation] but I know that its benefits are far beyond it being a “blue and white” product.”

Subscribe to NoCamels weekly newsletter and get our top stories