Training

Advanced Wound Care Dressings

Historically, dressings were created to contain material designed to be placed in contact with a wound to help it heal and prevent possible complications like infection or exposure to further trauma. Dressings were also designed to absorb blood, plasma, or other fluid, to stop bleeding and promote blood clotting, and to remove contaminated or dead tissue, and any foreign material. Dressings may perform these fundamental tasks passively, such as simply covering the wound with the traditional surgical gauze.

Today, however, medical technologies are advancing at an accelerating pace, building on new insights and data regarding patient recovery, treatment strategies and new use of materials. These wound care dressings with added features provide a variety of advanced wound care options and are becoming an integral part of advanced treatment methodologies.

Today’s Wound Care Dressing Methodology

Advances in wound care management and the availability of new materials in medical technologies can address the following dressing needs and methodologies:

  • Removes excess exudate but maintains a moist environment.
  • Contains no particles or toxic contaminants.
  • Non-allergenic and non-toxic.
  • Protects wounds from exposure to further trauma.
  • Removal does not cause trauma to the wound.
  • Inhibits the growth of bacteria.
  • Provides thermal insulation.
  • Enables the exchange of gasses.
  • Conforms in three dimensions and is comfortable.
  • Requires infrequently changes.
  • Long shelf life.
  • Cost effective.

Wound Care Dressing Products

Some general categories of advanced wound care products are summarized below.

Highly absorbent gels

Highly absorbent gels, such as alginates made of natural fibers derived from seaweed are designed to be super-absorbent. Alginates absorb wound exudates and form a gel-like covering over the wound maintaining a moist healing environment which accelerates healing and stops bleeding. The gel-like surface also prevents the dressing from adhering to the wound so it is painless to remove.

Anti-microbial silver

The use of silver particles in a dressing can restrain the growth of bacteria and reduce the potential for infection. The silver particles are in the form of encapsulated metallic silver, which is very stable and won’t oxidize even when exposed to light. These materials have been tested in vitro and found to be effective against gram positive and gram negative bacteria.

Foam

The characteristics of foam dressings include the ability to conform to a variety of shapes, being highly absorbent, and being padded to protect the wound for additional trauma.

Adhesive and Non-adhesive

Advanced wound care dressing products include the choice of an adhesive for use when securing the wound is a high priority in the treatment strategy. Non-adhesive dressings provide the option of a wound contact layer designed for use on fragile skin.