Assessment of the performance characteristics of a new multilayer foam dressing

Introduction: Effective wound management is essential for promoting healing, preventing complications, and improving patient outcomes. Dressings play a pivotal role in this process, serving as the primary interventions for both exuding and non-exuding wounds, as well as for the prevention of pressure injuries. Given the diverse needs of wound care, the development of an advanced dressing tailored to meet these specific needs is imperative to optimize outcomes and enhance patient comfort and quality of life.Methods:The performance characteristics of a new multilayer foam dressing, A*, were compared to those of two competitor dressing, B† and C°, in vitro. The speed of absorbency, defined as the rate at which 5ml of saline solution is transmitted through the dressing pores, was assessed for all dressings. The adhesive strength of the dressings was assessed by the force required to peel a sample of the adhesive border of each dressing from a polycarbonate substrate by the Zwick Universal Testing Machine. Seven-day fluid handling, absorbency and retention testing were carried out in line with the principles of BS EN 1376.Results: Dressing A* resulted in superior 7-day fluid handling capacity (86.19 g/10cm2/7 days) when compared with dressing B† (72.18 g/10cm2/7 days) and C° (66.03 g/10cm2/7 days) (p300 seconds).Discussion: The performance characteristics of the new multi-layered foam dressing, A*, supports robust performance to maximise wear time to minimise dressing changes and aid in patient wellbeing. The new multi-layered foam dressing combines fluid management and pressure injury prevention into one effective design.References: