AQUACEL® Ag Advantage reduces the stress of postoperative packing removal after endoscopic sinus surgery

Abstract Objective: After Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (ESS), packing plays an important role in wound healing and hemostasis. However, the effect of the packing removal procedure on physician stress has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate physician stress during packing removal for patients treated with AQUACEL® Ag Advantage versus KALTOSTAT®. Methods: This retrospective study included 15 patients who underwent packing with ESS for chronic rhinosinusitis performed at two centers; 9 were treated with AQUACEL® Ag Advantage and 6 were treated with KALTOSTAT®. Physician stress during packing removal was evaluated with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX). The time required to remove the packing and the number of instruments used in the procedure were recorded. Postoperative bleeding (Boezaart bleeding score) and wound healing were graded. Patient symptoms on the day after surgery and pain during packing removal were assessed using a visual analog scale. Results: Computed tomography scores, asthma complications, and blood eosinophil counts were significantly higher in the AQUACEL® Ag Advantage group. Patient symptoms on the day after surgery were not significantly different between the two groups. Physician stress during the task of packing removal was significantly lower in the AQUACEL® Ag Advantage group than in the KALTOSTAT® group (35.5 vs. 81.0, p = 0.016) according to the NASA-TLX scores. The number of instruments used in the procedure was significantly lower in the AQUACEL® Ag Advantage group than in the KALTOSTAT® group (3.0 vs. 6.0, p = 0.015). There were no significant differences in procedure time for packing removal, postoperative bleeding, wound healing, or patient pain at the time of packing removal between the groups. Conclusion: Physicians feel stressed about packing removal. In addition, AQUACEL® Ag Advantage is useful for packing after ESS, requiring fewer instruments for the procedure than KALTOSTAT® and reducing physician stress about the procedure. Level of evidence: Level 3.

Nursing of patients with diabetic foot using Aquacel AG dressing / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To observe the effect of Aquacel AG dressing in treating diabetic foot and nursing measures.Methods Seventy-nine hospitalized patients diagnosed as diabetic foot were enrolled,and 45 of them were chosen randomly as the experimental group,who was treated with Aquacel AG dressing,and changed the dressing per 3 to 5 days.The other 34 patients were named as the control group,who was treated with normal cotton dressing by wet compress,and changed the dressing one time per day.The total effective rate and healing condition were compared between the two groups.Results The total effective rate of the experimental group was 93.3％,higher than that of the control group (79.4％) significantly.The healing time of the experimental group was (64±10)days,shorter than that of the control group,(88±12)days.Conclusions Aquacel AG dressing was suggested to use in treating diabetic foot.

Clinical application of Aquacel-Ag dressing in treatment of pediatric superficial I burn wounds / 第二军医大学学报

Objective To evaluate the clinical effects of Aquacel-Ag dressing in treatment of pediatric superficial TJ burn wound. Methods Forty patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in the present study. Two burn wound areas of similar size were selected from each patient and were randomly divided into two groups. The burn areas in the control group were covered with SD-Ag and those in the treatment group were managed with Aquacel-Ag dressing. The healing time, recovering rate, seepage amount, the frequency of dressing changes and frequency of changing the inner most layer gauze were compared between the two groups. Meanwhile, the laboratory abnormalities and adverse effect were closely monitered during the treatment. Results Compared with the SD-Ag group, the Aquacel-Ag dressing group exhibited a significantly shorter healing time (P0. 05). We also found there was no direct relationship between the laboratory abnormalities and the therapeutic measures during the study, and most patients had no uncomfortable chief complaint. Conclusion Aquacel-Ag dressing can shorten the healing time, improve healing rate, reduce seepage amount, and decrease frequency of dressing change for superficial TJ burn wound in pediatric patients. And it has an antimicrobial property similar to SD-Ag for superficial TJ burn wound and shows no noticeable adverse effect.

Comparison of Silver-containing Hydrofiber Dressing and Hydrophobic Dressing for Effects on MRSA-infected Full Thickness Skin Defect in the Rat

PURPOSE: Aquacel Ag(R) is a hydrofiber wound dressing integrated with ionic silver. Sorbact(R) is a hydrophobic-coated dressing that uses the hydrophobic interaction with microbes. In this study, we compared the wound healing effects and the antibacterial effects of Medifoam(R), Betadine soaked, Aquacel Ag(R) and Sorbact(R) dressings against MRSA-infected wounds. METHODS: Eighty rats were divided into four groups: Medifoam(R); Betadine soaked; Aquacel Ag(R); and Sorbact(R). A 1.5 x 1.5 cm square full-thickness wound was made on the dorsum of each rat and infected with MRSA. Twenty-four hours thereafter, each dressing was applied to the wound and changed every other day. One, 3, 7, 11 and 15 days after the wound infection, swab culture grade, wound bed appearance score, and wound defect size change were evaluated, and 7 and 15 days after, histologic evaluation was compared between the groups. RESULTS: The bacteria load of wounds in the Sorbact(R) group decreased earlier than in the other groups. The wound bed appearance score of the Sorbact(R) group also increased quicker, compared with the other groups. However, the size of wounds of the Aquacel Ag(R) group decreased more rapidly, compared with other groups. From the histologic point of view, there was no significant difference between Betadine soaked, Aquacel Ag(R) and Sorbact(R) groups. CONCLUSION: The hydrophobic dressing using Sorbact(R) showed a more rapid reduction in the MRSA load and an elevation in the wound bed appearance score, but a slower decrease in wound size change due to detachment of wound bed tissue when the dressing was eliminated in the low exudate wound. The silver-containing hydrofiber dressing using Aquacel Ag(R) was more effective in ultimate wound size reduction, but some debris was trapped in the wound tissue and induced foreign body reaction in the high exudate wound. Thus, ongoing selection process of treatment based on the evaluation of the infectious wound state will be very important.