(CS-107) The Use of an Innovative Gellable Fiber Dressing to Advance Healing in Chronic Foot and Ankle Wounds with Varying Exudate Levels

Co-Author(s):

Introduction: Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) and diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) can have varying levels of exudate through-out the healing process. Ideal dressings should be able to accommodate for fluctuating wound exudate while still protecting the peri-wound and healthy skin. DFUs and VLUs typically follow a healing path like that of a chronic wound. These tend to produce large amounts of drainage which can lead to higher chance for maceration, and periwound skin breakdown. The wound dressings utilized need to not only manage the exudate but provide protection to the surrounding skin while the wound progresses through the wound healing cascade.

Methods: Following appropriate wound bed preparation, an innovative gelling fiber wound dressing" was utilized for exudate management either as primary or secondary dressing. The technology within the dressing is designed to wick away excess exudate while maintaining a moist wound environment. The use of this gelling fiber coupled with surfactant gel + non-adherent, as well as a secondary dressing in cases with collagen and cellular based tissue products has shown promising results. Wounds were examined on a bi-weekly and weekly basis for drainage control wound bed quality and epithelializing wound margins, wound size reduction and progression along the wound healing cascade.

Results:

The Innovative Gelling Fiber dressing is quite effective at wicking away excess exudate while maintaining a moist wound environment required for wound healing progression. The frequency of the dressing changes with this gelling fiber dressing was effective weekly in low to moderate exudate wounds, while biweekly dressing changes in cases over advanced cellular based tissue products which to be moderate to highly exudative. When utilized under compression therapy, it did not show any significant deleterious effect on the periwound skin. The dressing is quite easy to remove without damaging wound bed and wound margins.  

Discussion: The moisture balance allowed for clinical improvement of the wound bed while controlling maceration, without desiccating the wound bed, and adjusting to the varying exudate levels. The use of the gelling fiber dressing over cellular based product as secondary dressing to help manage moisture. Gelling fiber dressing under compression in venous leg ulcers and DFUs with associated edema requiring the use of compression therapy can be further explored to demonstrate its efficacy under standard compression therapy. The sample size looked at in this study do show promising result with synergy of purpose in advancing wound healing forward toward wound closure. 

Trademarked Items: *AGILE, Milliken Healthcare Products, LLC, Spartanburg, SC
† Active Fluid Management Technology, Milliken Healthcare Products, LLC, Spartanburg, SC

References: 1. Okan et al. The role of moisture balance in wound healing. Adv. in Skin and Wound Care 2007, 20:39-53