Health
New surgical technology can ‘light up’ bacteria in wounds, helping to prevent infections
Up to 5% of people who have surgery can develop an infection — which can prolong healing and lead to dangerous complications, studies have shown.
Additionally, chronic wounds affect around 6.5 million patients in the U.S.
Some bacteria can’t be seen with the human eye, which means they may be missed by physicians when cleaning a wound.
Now, a new medical technology that uses fluorescent light has shown to be effective in detecting missed bacteria, according to new research led by University of Southern California, Los Angeles (USC).
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In a review of 26 medical studies, a handheld device using autofluorescence (AF) imaging successfully “lit up” bacteria in nine out of 10 wounds, with each different type of bacteria turning a different color, according to a press release from USC.
The findings were published recently in the medical journal Advances in Wound Care.
A new medical technology that uses fluorescent light has shown to be effective in detecting missed bacteria. (iStock)
Real-time detection
In traditional cases, surgeons take tissue samples from wounds and send them to a lab for testing to determine the types of bacteria that are present, the researchers noted.
It can take days to get the results, during which time infection can set in.
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“Bacteria can cause wounds to become infected when they enter and colonize the cut or wound,” Dr. Raj Dasgupta, pulmonary and critical care specialist at Huntington Health in Los Angeles, told Fox News Digital.
“If a person does not receive treatment for a wound infection, the infection can spread to other parts of the body, which may lead to serious complications.” (Dasgupta was not involved in the new study.)
In a review of 26 medical studies, a handheld device using autofluorescence imaging successfully “lit up” bacteria in nine out of 10 wounds. (iStock)
The lighting technology allows clinicians to see bacteria in real time, leading to more targeted and effective wound care, according to the study researchers.
“Fluorescence imaging, particularly with devices like MolecuLight, offers a significant advancement in the ability to detect bacterial loads in chronic wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers,” lead study author Dr. David G. Armstrong, professor of neurological surgery and director of the USC Limb Preservation Program, told Fox News Digital.
“If a person does not receive treatment for a wound infection, the infection can spread to other parts of the body, which may lead to serious complications.”
It could also help prevent the need for antibiotics, as the bacteria can be removed before infection occurs.
“The study also explores the potential of wearable fluorescence imaging devices, which could further revolutionize surgical debridement by providing continuous visualization during the procedure,” Armstrong added.
The lighting technology allows clinicians to see bacteria in real time, leading to more targeted and effective wound care, according to the study researchers. (iStock)
One of the most surprising discoveries in the study was that high amounts of bacteria didn’t always cause symptoms, but still slowed down the healing process, the researchers stated.
This highlighted the need for “more sophisticated diagnostic tools” in wound management.
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“The big idea here is that we might be able to get out in front of an infection before having to give someone antibiotics,” said Armstrong. “This is the ultimate kind of stewardship to promote superbugs.”
Based on this study, Armstrong recommends that clinicians consider integrating fluorescence imaging into their standard wound care protocols, especially for chronic wounds like diabetic foot ulcers.
“The big idea here is that we might be able to get out in front of an infection before having to give someone antibiotics.”
“This technology not only improves the accuracy of debridement, but also aids in early intervention, potentially reducing the risk of complications like infections and amputations,” he told Fox News Digital.
“We also recommend that health care providers stay informed about advancements in wearable imaging technologies, which may soon provide even greater flexibility and precision in wound care.”
Fluorescence may not replace lab testing, surgeon says
Dr. Patrick Davis, a facial plastic surgeon at Davis Facial Plastics in Beverly Hills, California, emphasized the importance of preventing bacterial infections — especially for revision rhinoplasties, which he said have a higher risk of this type of complication.
“This technology not only improves the accuracy of debridement, but also aids in early intervention, potentially reducing the risk of complications like infections and amputations,” a researcher said. (iStock)
“There has been modest research with the use of fluorescence to illuminate a particular wound bed,” Davis, who was not involved in the new study, told Fox News Digital.
“The idea is that certain bacteria will emit a certain wavelength of light. Staph infections, for example, would emit a different color than another type of bacteria.”
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This can be helpful in confirming what kind of antibiotic to use for treatment, Davis noted, while also telling the surgeon the “burden of bacteria,” which indicates the level of bacteria in the wound.
The use of this technology still needs more research, according to the surgeon.
The technology could help prevent the need for antibiotics, as the bacteria can be removed before infection occurs. (iStock)
“At this time, this technology would not replace a simple swab of the area and then a laboratory test determining exactly what type of bacteria is present and what antibiotic to use,” he said.
“However, this technology can give a real-time hint at the family of bacteria that is present, although it may not be so specific — that is still reserved for a laboratory to determine.”
Dasgupta agreed that this device could be a “safe, effective, accurate and easy-to-use tool” to improve the assessment of wounds, but he noted that fluorescent light imaging has some limitations when used to detect bacterial infections.
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“The evaluation is limited to bacteria that produce fluorescent molecules on the skin’s surface and subsurface,” Dasgupta told Fox News Digital.
“The detection ability is also dependent on the number of bacteria present in the wound,” he went on. “Also, wound depth cannot be captured with this type of evaluation.”
Study limitations
The primary limitation of this study is that it depended on “controlled lighting conditions” in order for the fluorescence imaging devices to function accurately, Armstrong noted.
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“This could be a challenge in certain clinical settings, particularly in real-time surgical environments,” he said.
Chronic wounds affect around 6.5 million patients in the U.S.
More research is also needed to confirm the effectiveness of wearable devices compared to the existing handheld devices.
The study is partially funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and the National Science Foundation’s Center to Stream Healthcare in Place.
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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