An improved and new Advazorb hydrophilic foam dressing (Case Study 1)

Written by: Professor Linda Rafter Honorary Professor in Nursing Mary Seacole Research Centre De Montfort University Leicester, Wound Care Solutions Tissue Viability Nurse Consultant

Introduction

This poster reports the progress of three patients employing the Advazorb foam dressing and the results. The Advazorb foam dressing is a soft conforming hydrophilic foam designed to absorb fluid, while retaining it inside the dressing to promote wound healing.

Method

Three patients were recruited from the inpatient and outpatient clinic in the general hospital. Ages ranged between 17 – 90 years. Ward staff nominated patients, who I asked to volunteer in a trial for Advazorb foam dressing. I requested a contact number if they were going home so I could follow the patient up 14 days later. If they were still an inpatient, I visited the ward to perform the follow up information. Opinions of 10 nursing staff were collected on how they felt the Advazorb foam dressings performed. Each patient had at least 14 days treatment to enable an evaluation of the patient’s comfort and whether healing had been successful.

Case Study 1

Mr C, a 63 year old male, had a right knee replacement on 27th May 2011. He was referred to the author after a washout in theatre on 1st June 2011, due to infection and an increased pain. He is known to have rheumatoid arthritis. On assessment the lateral end of the knee, wound was 3cms deep and bleeding clips were still in situ. His serum albumin was 22, Hb 8.2, white cell count 7.6, Waterlow score 7, BMI 27 and Must 0. He had a period of treatment with topical negative pressure dressings from 17th June 2011 to 6th July 2011. The consultant and the author reviewed the wound and it was agreed to change the care pathway to larval therapy from 8th July 2011 until 27th July 2011.

Figure 1

On assessment, Mr C’s wound was 3cm x 3cm full thickness on the right knee the wound bed was 100% pink tissue and flush with the skin surface, with a cavity, where the original wound was. The cavity measured 1.5cm x 1.5cm and 1.5cm deep, but 100% pink and clean. The author took a photograph of the wound (see figure 1). The care pathway was changed on the 27th July 2011 to Sorbsan Ribbon ( Aspen Medical Europe Ltd) and Advazorb® (Advancis Medical) foam dressing, with Mr C visited every 48 hours.

Figure 2

Mr C was reviewed on the 17th August 2011 in Fracture Clinic. On assessment the original wound on the right knee had decreased to 1.5cm x 1.5cm. The wound bed was 100% pink tissue, flush with the skin surface, with a cavity still present, which was 1.5cm x 1.5cm and 3cm in depth. The wound was 100% pink and clean (see figure 2). The author took a photograph of the wound. The same dressing regime was continued of Sorbsan Ribbon and Advazorb® , with Mr C visited every 48 hours.

Results

The results of these three patient’s case studies have been reported in full in this poster, with the patient’s outcomes. The patient’s experiences have demonstrated that they found the Advazorb foam dressing very comfortable and shows how the Advazorb foam dressing managed exudate. The patients did not experience any leakage of exudate using the dressing, so no loss of dignity was experienced. The case study on an abdominal wound demonstrated that the wound had produced a moderate amount of exudate, but the Advazorb foam dressing absorbed exudate more effectively than a comparable foam. The orthopaedic case study demonstrated that the wound had reduced in size within a month and the patient reported less exudate on the Advazorb foam dressing.

Discussion

The new Advazorb foam dressing appears to provide the optimum environment for healing. One lady had a chronic wound that had increased in size prior to the use of the Advazorb foam dressing, but substantially reduced in size within 4 weeks. It appears that the Advazorb foam dressing helps to prevent infection and the fluid from the wound is wicked away into the dressing. The patients commented on removal of the dressing as experiencing no pain. The nurses stated that in comparison to their usual comparable foam dressing, which they usually employed to manage these wounds, against Advazorb foam they found it very comparable. They concluded the Advazorb foam dressing provides an increase in performance to manage exudate, which appears to help promote wound healing.

Conclusion

Whilst this evaluation only contains three patient case studies, the patients found the dressings extremely comfortable and the author found them easy to apply and remove. There was improvement in all three case study wounds. The author was very impressed with the Advazorb foam dressing’s ability to take up the exudate compared with other similar foam dressings that were normally employed.