USE OF A NEW HYDRO-DESLOUGHING

DRESSING* IN EXUDING AND SLOUGHY WOUNDS

N. SMITH(1), C. BOUVIER(2) (1) Laboratoires Urgo, Clinical Market Researcher, Sullington Road, Shepshed, Leicestershire, UK (2) Laboratoires Urgo, Chenôve, France

*Brand name: the new hydro-desloughing absorbent dressing is UrgoClean®

INTRODUCTION

The characteristics of the tissue within the wound bed play an important role in the wound

healing continuum. Slough is devitalised tissue that is usually moist, soft and often stringy

in consistency, it is usually yellow, white or grey in colour and must be removed so that

granulation can occur.

A new hydro-desloughing dressing* is now available for sloughy and moderately

exuding wounds, it has a high capacity to absorb exudate and trap sloughy residues. The

soft-adherent TLC layer ensures pain free and atraumatic removal.

The dressing is highly conformable and allows for one piece removal.

*Brand name: the new hydro-desloughing absorbent dressing is UrgoClean®

METHODOLOGY

60 patients gave their consent to be evaluated over 15 sites.

Wounds acceptable for inclusion were chronic exuding wounds in the desloughing phase,

acute wounds, cancerous wounds and lesions without any clinical signs of infection.

The evaluation was over a six week period – wound surface area and % of sloughy and

granulation tissue were measured and recorded on a weekly basis.

Primary end point was the % reduction in wound surface area.

Secondary end point - % reduction in slough, tolerance and acceptability of the dressing

by both clinicians and patients.

PATIENT 1

76-year-old suffering with

hypertension and a previous CVA

presented with a grade 3 pressure

ulcer of just over four months duration.

At inclusion the wound was covered

with 80% slough which had reduced

to 0% by week 6 and the wound

surface area had reduced by 82%.

Week 1

Week 6

PATIENT 2

An 84-year-old female with a chronic

leg ulcer of just over five months

duration.

Surrounding skin was very inflamed

and although the wound was stable

there had been no significant

improvement.

The wound was covered with 90%

slough which was completely

eliminated by week 6 and the

surrounding skin was healthy.

Week 1

Week 6

PATIENT 3

A 75-year-old male with a DFU

following amputation.

On inclusion the wound was covered

with 50% slough which was

eliminated by week 6.

By week 8 the wound had nearly

healed.

Application of the dressing was very

easy and conformability was excellent.

Week 1

Week 8

PATIENT 4

64-year-old male with a number of co-

morbidities who sustained a pre-tibial

laceration. Exuding high amounts the

wound was not progressing with

Cadexa-mor Iodine.

Treatment was commenced with the

new hydro-desloughing dressing*

and slough was totally eliminated

by week 6. Exudate was managed

well and wound surface area reduced

by 47%.

Week 1

Week 6

*Brand name: the new hydro-desloughing absorbent dressing is UrgoClean®

RESULTS

60 case studies were included in analysis of wound surface area reduction - mean

average reduction was 39.2% after six weeks.

Overall average reduction in slough of 67% after six weeks was also recorded.

Ease of removal Easy / Very Easy

Adherence on removal Minimal / None

Pain at removal None

One piece removal Yes

Bleeding at removal None

Maceration of the wound None

Ease of application Very Easy

Conformability Very good

Failure to eliminate slough will result in non-healing of a wound so correct management of

the wound bed is essential.

The results of this study demonstrate efficacy of the new hydro-desloughing dressing*

in the treatment of exuding and sloughy wounds.

This is combined with excellent tolerance by patients and acceptability by both clinicians

and patients.

CONCLUSION

*Brand name: the hydro-desloughing dressing is UrgoClean®