Addressing wound healing barriers to optimise wound progression: investigating the advanced benefits of a next-generation multilayer foam dressing

Objective: Excess wound exudate can cause tissue maceration and delayed healing. Fluctuating exudate levels, combined with the impact of gravity, increase dressing leakage risk, affecting patient quality of life. Bacteria and proteases found in hard-to-heal (chronic) wounds pose additional barriers to healing if not promptly removed. Absorbent dressings must therefore address these multiple challenges, and so were explored in this series of preclinical investigations. Method: Standard in vitro absorbency tests were conducted to compare the performance of several dressings with a new advanced five-layer silicone polyurethane foam dressing with superabsorbent particles (ASFS). Dressing functionality was explored using clinically relevant test conditions, including the impact of gravity and fluid bolus events on absorbency, combined with the dressing's ability to absorb and retain bacteria and proteases. Results: ASFS demonstrated superior performance across standard absorbency tests versus most of the alternative absorbent dressings and outperformed a comparator five-layer silicone foam dressing with superabsorbent fibres (SFD) in run-off testing. Under clinically relevant dynamic bolus conditions, including gravitational challenge, no leakage was observed with ASFS, whereas dressing failure due to fluid spill or leakage was observed with SFD. ASFS was also shown to retain matrix metalloproteinases and the majority of bacteria, even under increasing fluid volumes. Conclusion: Functionality of absorbent wound dressings in both standard and clinically relevant tests is critical to support healthcare professionals' decision-making in selecting optimal interventions for their patients' wounds. Effective exudate management combined with removal of bacteria and proteases by the new ASFS dressing supports healthcare professional and patient confidence in continuing with daily activities, with the potential for fewer dressing changes and associated resource benefits, warranting further evaluation in clinical practice.