Dressing type Properties Gauze Dressings can stick to the wound surface and disrupt the wound bed when removed Only use on minor wounds or as secondary dressings Tulle Dressing does not stick to wound surface Suitable for flat, shallow wound Useful in patient with sensitive skin E.g. Jelonet®, Paranet® Semipermeable film Sterile sheet of polyurethane coated with acrylic adhesive Transparent allowing wound checks Suitable for shallow wound with low exudate E.g. OpSite®, Tegaderm® Hydrocolloids Composed of carboxymethylcellulose, gelatin, pectin, elastomers and adhesives that turn into a gel when exudate is absorbed. This creates a warm, moist environment that promotes debridement and healing Depending on the hydrocolloid dressing chosen can be used in wounds with light to heavy exudate, sloughing or granulating wounds Available in many forms (adhesive or non-adhesive pad, paste, powder) but most commonly as self-adhesive pads E.g. DuoDERM®, Tegasorb® Hydrogels Composed mainly of water in a complex network or fibres that keep the polymer gel intact. Water is released to keep the wound moist Used for necrotic or sloughy wound beds to rehydrate and remove dead tissue. Do not use for moderate to heavily exudating wounds E.g. Tegagel®, Intrasite® Alginates Composed of calcium alginate (a seaweed component). When in contact with wound, calcium in the dressing is exchanged with sodium from wound fluid and this turns dressing into a gel that maintains a moist wound environment Good for exudating wounds and helps in debridement of sloughing wounds Do not use on low exudating wounds as this will cause dryness and scabbing Dressing should be changed daily E.g. Kaltostat®, Sorbsan® Polyurethane or silicone foams Designed to absorb large amounts of exudates Maintain a moist wound environment but are not as useful as alginates or hydrocolloids for debridement Do not use on low exudating wounds as this will cause dryness and scabbing E.g. Allevyn®, Lyofoam® Hydrofibre Soft non-woven pad or ribbon dressing made from sodium carboxymethylcellulose fibres Interact with wound drainage to form a soft gel Absorb exudate and provide a moist environment in a deep wound that needs packing Collagens Dressings come in pads, gels or particles Promote the deposit of newly formed collagen in the wound bed Absorb exudate and provide a moist environment Wound type Dressing type Clean, medium-to-high exudate (epithelialising) Paraffin gauze Knitted viscose primary dressing Clean, dry, low exudate (epithelialising) Absorbent perforated plastic film-faced dressing Vapour-permeable adhesive film dressing Clean, exudating (granulating) Hydrocolloids Foams Alginates Slough-covered Hydrocolloids Hydrogels Dry, necrotic Hydrocolloids Hydrogels Source
