Advanced wound

dressings
.Under Supervision Of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department
• Advanced wound dressings are designed to control
the environment for wound healing. The primary
function of some dressings is to absorb wound
exudate (foams, alginates) whilst others donate
fluids (hydrogels) or maintain hydration
(hydrocolloids).
Types of advanced wound dressing
Vapour-permeable adhesive films

• Vapour-permeable film dressings are sterile,

thin films made from polyurethane, usually
coated on one side with a hypoallergenic acrylic
adhesive.
Properties

• Non-absorbent.
• Permeable to moisture vapour,
• allowing some exudate to evaporate
• Transparent.
• Adhere to wound.
• Impermeable to microorganisms
Uses

• Later stages of wound healing where little

exudate. Loss of water vapour can cause
wound to dry out. Not for infected wounds and
thin or fragile skin.
Foam dressings

• Foam dressings are in the form of sheets of

polymer foam, typically polyurethane. Some
foams have additional wound contact and an
occlusive polymeric backing layer. Absorbency
is controlled by properties of the foam such as
its texture, thickness and pore size
Uses

• Performance varies between dressings.

Generally low to moderately exuding
wounds
Alginate dressings

• Alginate dressings are produced from

calcium and sodium salts of alginic acid,
which is a polysaccharide comprising
mannuronic and guluronic acid units
obtained from certain species of brown
seaweeds.
• The dressings interact with wound fluid and
blood to form a protective film of gel that
maintains an occlusive, non-adherent moist
healing environment within the contours of
the wound.
• The interaction occurs because a partial ion
exchange reaction takes place between
calcium ions in the dressing and sodium ions
from the wound exudate, resulting in the
production of a gel on the wound surface.
Uses

• Performance varies between dressings.

Moderate to high exuding wounds.
Haemostasis. Suitable for infected wounds. Not
suitable for dry wounds
Hydrogel dressings

• Hydrogels differ from other dressings as they

have the ability to add moisture to dry wounds.
Thus, they are used to facilitate autolytic
debridment in necrotic wounds, and to maintain
a moist healing environment on clean
granulating wounds.
• Hydrogel dressings are composed of three-
dimensional swollen networks of hydrophilic
polymers which contain a large proportion of
water within their structure. They can be
applied to a wound in two forms:
• 1. an amorphous gel that can take up the shape
of the wound ( filler)
• 2. an elastic sheet or film.
 Amorphous gel formulations
• These contain 70– 95% water and
are produced by dispersing natural
(e.g. the alginates or
carboxymethylcellulose) or
synthetic (e.g. polyvinyl
pyrrolidone, polyacrylamide)
hydrophilic polymers in water.
• Amorphous gels progressively lose
structure on dilution with exudate
until the polymer is dispersed.
Elastic hydrogel sheets

• These are produced by

exposing dilute dispersions of
polymer to an energy source
such as electron-beam
irradiation. The polymer forms
a cross-linked structure
(anywhere from 6%-30%) that
physically entraps water to
form a solid sheet that can be
cut to fit the wound
• Despite their high water content, some
hydrogels can also swell further to absorb
slight-to-moderate amounts of exudate.
• Hydrogel dressings are suitable for use at
all stages of wound healing, with the
exception of infected or heavily exuding
wounds
Uses

• Cleansing of necrotic wounds by rehydrating

dead tissue and encouraging autolytic
debridement
Hydrocolloids

• Hydrocolloid dressings are among the most

widely used wound management products.
The term ‘hydrocolloid’ has been adopted to
describe the family of occlusive or semi-
occlusive wound dressings obtained from
• In their intact state, the occlusive hydrocolloid
dressings are impermeable to water vapour
and oxygen but, on absorption of wound
exudate, a change in physical state occurs
with the formation of a gel covering the
wound , This seals the wound and provides a
moist healing environment that allows clean
wounds to granulate and necrotic wounds to
debride autolytically.
• The gel also acts as a barrier to keep bacteria and
fluids out. The dressing relieves superficial pain by
covering nerve endings with gel and exudate.
Angiogenesis (growth of microcapillaries) is
stimulated by the dressing initially being
impermeable to atmospheric oxygen. The dressing
may provide insulation to prevent heat loss from the
wound.
Uses

• Suitable for light to moderately

exuding non-infected wounds. Facilitate
rehydration and autolytic debridement
of sloughy or necrotic wounds.
Uses

• Hydrocolloid dressings are particularly useful in

paediatric wound care for management of both
acute and chronic wounds as they adhere to
moist and dry sites and do not cause tissue
damage or pain on application or removal .
Bioactive dressings

• Bioactive dressings deliver substances active in

wound healing to the wound.
• They may be prepared from combinations of
biopolymers that have a role in the natural
wound-healing process, such as collagen,
hyaluronic acid, and elastin, or may contain
materials such as growth factors.
• The overall aim in the choice of dressing
is to provide an environment at the
surface of the wound in which healing
may take place at the maximum rate
consistent with the desired end result of
a healed wound with an acceptable
cosmetic appearance.
Thanks