Comparison of in vitro Periwound Protection for Contact Layer Dressings Using a Newly Developed Validated Test Method

While the quantification of “optimal moisture” in the wound healing process is still an enigma, the complications of excessive moisture are readily recognized in the wound care field. Excess moisture can result in maceration of the periwound skin due to the proteolytic enzymes found in chronic wound exudate [1]. Maceration can impede healing and can potentially cause further deterioration of the wound bed [2]. Advanced wound care dressings are meant to alleviate this problem by removing exudate from the wound surface, but little research has been done to look at the ability of the dressing to protect the periwound from excess exudate. A method was developed to examine how much exudate was transferred from the dressing back to the periwound and healthy skin. In this method, a simulated wound was modeled using gauze to represent the periwound. A primary dressing and secondary absorptive layer were placed on top of the simulated periwound. Simulated wound fluid was delivered at a constant rate. Each layer was weighed before and after the test to determine how much fluid remained on the simulated periwound. After 48 hours, a noticeable difference was observed in the amount of fluid transferred back to the simulated periwound between each of the dressings tested. This fluid was quantified as a weight percent based on the initial weight of the simulated periwound. The results were as follows: Gauze (588% ±41.89), Hydrofiber® Silver dressings (205% ±30.68), Nanocrystalline Silver dressings (179% ±30.68), and Active Fluid Management® dressings (31% ±4.09). The Active Fluid Management dressings allowed the least moisture to return to the simulated periwound, protecting the periwound and healthy skin. These results indicate that Active Fluid Management® dressings have improved moisture management compared to the other dressings.