New Products and Industry News April

Incision management system launched in Canada and Europe

     Kinetic Concepts ([KCI] San Antonio, TX) launched the Prevena™ Incision Management System, the first and only powered negative pressure product designed specifically for the management of surgically closed incisions, in Canada and Europe. The system is designed to create an environment that helps promote healing by removing exudate and potentially infectious material, assist in holding the edges of the incision together, stimulate perfusion, reduce edema, and protect the surgical site from external infectious sources.

Studies have shown that the system may potentially reduce the risk of postoperative complications such as infection. The company estimates more than 3 million procedures are performed worldwide annually that could benefit from treatment with the system, which represents a potential global opportunity that exceeds $1 billion. The system represents an important part of the company’s broader negative pressure therapy platform as well as a revolutionary solution for surgical incisions at risk for postoperative complications. The system includes a single dressing worn for the duration of therapy that acts as a barrier to external infectious sources. Intended for sale and single-patient use only, the system is indicated in the European Union and Canada for use over clean, closed incisions to manage the postsurgical environment and may reduce the likelihood of postoperative complications, such as surgical-site infection, dehiscence, hematoma, and seroma.

     For more information, visit www.kci1.com.

Compression system relieves pain associated with venous leg ulcers

      3M Health Care (St. Paul, MN) launched therapeutically effective 3M™ Coban™ 2 Layer Lite Compression System for patients with venous leg ulcers who are less tolerant of compression. The new compression system is indicated for use on patients who are frail, less mobile, may be new to compression, or whose tolerance of compression is unknown. The product may be safely used for patients with mixed arterial and venous ulcers with an ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI) >0.5. The new system minimizes slipping and bunching and is more comfortable for patients, leading to increased compliance and improving the potential for more effective treatment. Engineered with “Intelligent Compression Dynamics,” the company’s proprietary materials cohere to each other to create an inelastic sleeve to consistently provide the right amount of compression to reduce edema. With its thin profile, patients are able to wear their normal shoes and resume their regular daily activities also. An open-label study on patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease showed this system was safe for patients with an ABPI between 0.5 and 0.8 and was well tolerated. In addition, the system demonstrated beneficial effects on the dermal capillary system after two weeks of treatment.

     For more information, visit www.3m.com/healthcare for more information.

Skin adhesive silicone elastomers work with wound care applications

     Bluestar Silicones (Anaheim, CA) launched a new line of skin adhesive elastomer gels. The new Silbione® Silicone Gels provide gentle, nonirritating adhesion for a range of wound and skin care applications. The gel skin adhesives are two-part, platinum-catalyzed silicone gel elastomers manufactured in a clean environment to ensure healthcare grade levels of purity and quality. The materials are targeted for a variety of wound and skin care uses including wound dressings and bandages, transdermal patches for cosmetic and active delivery, medical and fashion tapes, and scar management. These hydrophobic products enable gentle adhesion to dry skin without adhesion to moist skin, thus preventing secondary trauma to newly formed skin in a healing wound. The gel adhesives also retain adhesion properties upon removal so they can be repositioned for several additional applications. They are gas permeable, which allows the skin to breathe, and are washable and reusable.

     For more information, visit www.bluestarsilicones.com.

Adhesive solutions available for wound care medical devices

     Designers of medical devices seeking medical grade adhesives for virtually any application can turn to Avery Dennison (Mentor, Ohio) for custom-made and standard solutions. The product range includes biocompatible acrylic, porous acrylic, synthetic rubber based, silicone, and absorbent hydrocolloid adhesive formulations. For custom-made solutions, the Avery Dennison engineers will work with original equipment manufacturers to develop adhesive products that meet every application need from reliable water resistance in consumer skin contact items to dependable adhesion necessary for surgical procedures. The company’s medical-grade adhesives meet all FDA and ISO requirements for safety and efficacy and are supported by technology proven in applications worldwide. Uses include surgical gowns and incise drapes, advanced wound care dressings, ostomy products, electromedical devices, diagnostic test kits, drug delivery systems, and consumer skin-contact bandages. Adhesives are available in unsupported transfer tape constructions as well as single-and double-coated and self-wound tapes. The tape constructions can be supplied with an extensive selection of facestocks that are breathable, flexible, and conformable to skin, including film, foil, wovens and nonwovens, high MVTR film, tissue, and foam.

     For more information, visit www.averydennison.com.

This article was not subject to the Ostomy Wound Management peer-review process.