A Prospective Evaluation of A New Dressing On POST OP Blistering Following TOTAL HIP and Knee Replacement

Purpose: The main complications following hip and knee surgery are blistering and infection. Skin blistering is common in orthopaedic wards with reported incidences of between 13-35%. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a new post-operative dressing for a variety of parameters including blistering. Method: Patients were entered into the evaluation in an orthopaedic ward over a two month period ; December 2008 and January 2009.  Patients were treated according to the product instructions and standard local centre practice throughout the evaluation.   Data was collected on each dressing change on 50 consecutive patients following total hip and knee replacement surgery.  Results: Skin blistering rates reduced from 14% with previous dressing to 8% (4/50 patients) with the introduction of the new dressing. There were no signs of infection to report during the evaluation period. The average wear time reported was 4-6 days. Visibility of the wound through the dressing was rated good and it was easy to monitor the surgical site for early signs of infection. Overall the dressing was reported as easy to apply and remove and caused no discomfort to the patient.  Conclusion: The new dressing was found to reduce blistering, have longer wear timeand was associated with fewer wound complications than the previously used dressing, potentially leading to a shorter hospital stay. It is hoped that studies of this type will allow for enhanced clinician education, patient safety and prove beneficial to facilities.