Oxygen research wins 2019 Nobel Prize in Medicine

The 2019 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine has been award to 3 scientists whose research has centred on cellular detection and reaction to hypoxia – low oxygen levels in tissues. This ground-breaking research has not only improved our understanding of oxygen regulation but also highlighted chronic disease areas where hypoxia plays a significant role, one such area is wound healing.

Oxygen availability is critical during every stage of the wound healing process. Whilst most wounds will exhibit a degree of hypoxia initially, persistent tissue hypoxia will result in impaired wound healing.

Figure 1 Effects of persistent wound hypoxia on healing

Any research that helps our understanding in how cells detect and react to oxygen levels can only improve our treatment and clinical outcomes of hypoxic wounds.

NATROX® Oxygen Wound Therapy has been shown to improve wound healing in previously non-healing wounds.

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