Introduction:  Skin lacerations are common in the elderly population due to a loss of fat stores, sweat and sebaceous glands.  Many medications add to the problem.  Many dressings used can cause more damage during removal due to the aggressive nature of the adhesive.  A traditional transparent film was tested against a water release hydropolymer foam in the treatment of partial thickness skin lacerations for ease of removal.

Methods:  Twenty two residents in skilled care, ages 61 to 87, all with history of skin lacerations.  They were divided in to two groups of ten.  All licensed staff was instructed on correct removal and demonstrated competency of a transparent adhesive dressing by method of gentle pull-release of the adhesive then lifting as well as the water release technique of the hydropolymer.  Group A used the transparent dressing with removal every three days.  Group B used the hydropolymer foam dressing with removal every three days.  All lacerations were cleansed with normal saline and re-approximated before dressing application.  Two things were evaluated during this trial:  the formation of new lacerations due to the removal of the adhesive and the visual state of re-epitheliazation.

Results:

Group A:  Eight residents developed additional skin lacerations during the first removal.  Three had removal without consequence. Two re-epitheliazed within three days, five within nine and four within twelve.

Group B:  Zero residents developed additional skin lacerations during the first removal.  Eight re-epithelialized with three days, two within six and one within nine.

Conclusions:  The hydropolymer offered more gentle ease of removal than the transparent and healed more quickly.

Special thanks to DermaRite Industries, LLC for providing the hydropolymer DermAlevin.