ABSTRACT
Recent clinical research has generated interest in the use of sacral wound dressings as preventive devices for patients at risk of ulceration. This study was conducted to identify the modes of action through which dressings can add to pressure ulcer prevention, for example, shear and friction force redistribution and pressure distribution. Bench testing was performed using nine commercially available dressings. The use of dressings can reduce the amplitude of shear stress and friction reaching the skin of patients at risk. They can also effectively redirect these forces to wider areas which minimises the mechanical loads upon skeletal prominences. Dressings can redistribute pressure based upon their effective Poisson ratio and larger deflection areas, providing greater load redistribution.
Subject(s)
Bandages, Hydrocolloid/standards , Pressure Ulcer/etiology , Pressure Ulcer/prevention & control , Pressure/adverse effects , Friction , Humans , Risk Assessment , Sacrococcygeal Region , Shear Strength , Wound HealingABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: Wound dressings have been successfully explored for use in prevention of pressure ulcers in individuals who are at clinical high-risk for developing ulcers. METHODS: In this study, application of a recently described body analog test fixture and method is used to evaluate performance features of 8 clinically available dressings for prophylaxis. Documenting dressing performance is essential to defining the proper use and limits to application of dressings for ulcer prevention. These in vitro studies were undertaken to characterize the impact on the microclimate generated by the application of a dressing to the surface of the skin. RESULTS: The measurement of moisture trapped next to the skin, moisture escaped from the dressing, and heat trapped by the dressing show that some dressings are more suited for skin protection. CONCLUSION: It is evident that an optimal performance band for microclimate management exists in the application of dressings for prophylaxis, and that dressings should be evaluated for proper performance prior to implementation in a pressure ulcer prevention program. .
