In Vitro Comparison of the Retained Fluid Capacity of Two Silicone Faced, Bordered Foam Superabsorbent Dressings

Effective exudate management is critical to achieve an optimal wound healing environment. A new silicone faced, bordered foam superabsorbent dressing* was developed. The superabsorbent component in this multilayer dressing is meant to retain fluids under compression. The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the retained fluid capacity of a new silicone faced, bordered foam superabsorbent dressing to the leading competitive silicone faced, bordered foam superabsorbent dressing.

The retained fluid capacity of a new silicone faced, bordered foam superabsorbent dressing was compared to the leading competitive silicone faced, bordered foam superabsorbent dressing per a modified BS EN 13726-1, intended to assess the performance of dressings, typically used on moderately to heavily exuding wounds. For each dressing, the liner covering the adhesive portion was removed and discarded, and the dry dressing weight was measured. The dressing was then placed into a pan of sodium chloride and calcium chloride dihydrate dissolved in deionized water solution, which mimics the ionic composition of wound exudate, for 30 seconds. Then, the dressing lifted out of the pan, and the excess fluid was allowed to run off. It was placed on an absorbent pad with a weight was put on top for 30 seconds. The dressing was weighed again. Five replicates for each dressing were done.

The new silicone faced, bordered foam superabsorbent dressing retained 0.40 g/ cm².  The leading competitive silicone faced, bordered foam superabsorbent dressing retained 0.30 g/cm² of fluid. The results indicate that the new silicone faced, bordered foam superabsorbent dressing retained 25% more fluid than the leading competitor. Further studies are warranted.