Air exposure versus occlusion: merits and disadvantages of different dressings

Abstract

A review of the literature on occlusive and non-occlusive conventional dressings for the treatment of acute wounds and chronic lesions.

Topical agents or dressings for pain in venous leg ulcers

“…Non-systematic literature reviews and case trial reports have advocated the use of occlusive dressings, such as semipermeable films and hydrocolloids, as a method of pain relief (Hermans 1993;Kannon 1995;Seeley 1994;Thomas 1989). There a number of postulated theories that attempt to explain how an inert dressing can provide pain relief.…”

Systematic review of antimicrobial treatments for diabetic foot ulcers

“…Bacteria within a biofilm are thought to have increased resistance to antimicrobial agents [12]. The relationship between bacterial colonization and outcomes is unclear but it is assumed that treating infection aids healing and reduces the risk of amputation [13][14][15][16][17][18].…”

The use of gauze: will it ever change?

“…further development of materials in the form of nylon-derived semipermeable film and investigative studies were demonstrating that wounds epithelised at a faster rate when kept moist under the cover of a polythene film . the production of the first hydrocolloid dressing in 1982 extended the scope of dressing choices for practitioners and heralded a new era of wound management products maintained a moist environment at the wound surface, rehydrated dry necrotic eschar promoting autolytic debridement, degrading unwanted material and clearing the wound of dead cells (16,17). Thus, this dressing provided an advanced alternative to gauze, which was unable to fulfil any of these functions.…”

“…This mechanism depended partly on the moisture vapour transmission rate (MVTR) of the backing layer, partly on the absorptive capacity of the hydrocolloid layer. The controlled uptake of wound fluid maintained a moist environment at the wound surface, rehydrated dry necrotic eschar promoting autolytic debridement, degrading unwanted material and clearing the wound of dead cells (16,17).…”