Can a Drug-Free Dressing Decrease Inflammation and Wound Pain? What Does the Evidence Say?

TOPIC: Inflammation often plays a critical role in wound formation, and it can inhibit healing.  Wound pain not only diminishes patient quality of life, it also directly inhibits healing.  Debilitated wound patients are often poor candidates for systemic pharmaceutical pain relievers.  Topical pharmaceutical pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs increase infection risks and/or directly impair wound healing.

PURPOSE: This study examines the evidence behind claims that polymeric membrane dressings can inhibit the nociceptor response, even through intact skin, often providing a dramatic drug-free decrease in inflammation and wound pain. If these claims are valid, polymeric membrane dressings can diminish the negative effects of pain and inflammation without the adverse consequences associated with pharmaceuticals.

METHODOLOGY: All peer-reviewed published data about polymeric membrane dressings were evaluated to determine the robustness of the evidence concerning its nociceptor response inhibition.
This included:
· Four scientific studies: a controlled trial of pain and inflammation following arthroscopy, a study including both human burn patients and an animal model and two strictly animal model studies
· Three major facility-based product evaluations in which pain and/or inflammation were discussed
· 80 individual patient outcomes in published peer-reviewed case studies or series in which wound pain and/or inflammation were problematic and polymeric membrane dressings were used

RESULTS: Laboratory research unequivocally concludes that polymeric membrane dressings inhibit the nociceptor response at the application site and that this can result in significantly diminished pain and inflammation.  The facility-based evaluations found that pain, spasticity and bruising are decreased and patient mobility is increased when polymeric membrane dressings are used.  92.5% of all patients in peer-reviewed case studies using polymeric membrane dressings experienced reductions in inflammation and/or wound pain.

CONCLUSION: Polymeric membrane dressings definitely can inhibit the nociceptor response at the application site.  This has exciting implications for both pain relief and wound healing.