Novel in-vitro Test Method for Comparing Moisture Management Performance of Various Adhesive Border Foam Dressings Utilizing a Simulated Vertical Leg Model

Background: Production of wound exudate is a necessary part of wound healing but can lead to maceration of the periwound if not properly managed. An ideal dressing should create optimal moisture balance while keeping harmful exudate away from the periwound surface. Inadequate dressing performance can lead to “pooling” of exudate within the dressing-wound interface resulting in skin breakdown. 

Purpose: A novel test method using a vertical leg model was designed to compare the performance of a new border foam dressing* (study dressing) with other border foam dressings.

Method: The test consisted of a vertical leg model with a simulated wound surrounded by gauze to represent the periwound.  The simulated wound and gauze were covered by bordered foam dressings and simulated wound fluid (SWF) was delivered at 0.4 mL/hour for 24 hours to mimic a highly exuding wound.(3) After 24 hours, six replicates of the gauze were analyzed qualitatively (residual fluid inspection) and quantitatively (UV-Vis spectrophotometry) to determine how much SWF was managed by the bordered foam and how much was allowed to “pool” and come in contact with the simulated periwound (gauze).  

Results: On average, the study dressing reduced the risk of exudate “pooling” by a factor of 17.7 as compared with the other bordered foams tested.