| Hydrogel dressings are cross-linked polymer gels that are often shaped into sheets to provide and maintain a moist wound environment. By increasing moisture content, hydrogels have the ability to help cleans and debride necrotic tissue. Hydrogels are non-adherent and can be removed without trauma to the wound. Additionally, hydrogel dressing have a soothing effect that promotes patient acceptance. It’s important to keep in mind though that hydrogel dressings are not very absorptive, and therefore may not be the appropriate choice for moderate to highly exudating wounds. Hydrogel dressings often require secondary dressings for this reason. Hydrogel dressings can be shaped into gauze, sheets, or filler material.
Three vendors who offer hydrogel dressing material are 3M™, who offers the 3M Tegagel™ Hydrogel Wound Filler and the 3M Tegagel Hydrogel Wound Filler with Gauze, Bard Medical, who offers the Vigilon Primary Wound Dressing, and Smith and Nephew, who offers the FlexiGel Strands® Absorbent Wound Dressing.
3M’s Tegagel Hydrogel Wound Filler and Tegagel Hydrogel Wound Filler with Gauze are amorphous dressings that are specially formulated to help provide a moist environment to enhance wound healing. The viscous, hydrating formula is ideal for the management of non-draining, minimally draining and necrotic wounds. The clear gel hydrates devitalized tissue to assist autolytic debridement, eliminating the need for surgical debridement. The easy to apply gel is available by itself or with a convenient gauze pad. Tegagel Hydrogel Wound Filler is ideal for dry or minimally draining dermal ulcers (pressure, arterial, venous and diabetic), wounds with eschar and slough requiring autolytic debridement, open surgical wounds, trauma wounds, abrasions and skin tears, and cancerous lesions.
VIGILON Primary Wound Dressing from Bard Medical is a non-adhering hydrogel sheet dressing for use on all partial and full thickness wounds. The hydrogel sheet contains 96% water and 4% insoluble cross-linked polyethylene oxide.
Smith and Newphew offers the FlexiGel Strands Absorbent Wound Dressing, a sterile, single use bundle of absorbent matrix for use in moist wound dressing applications. FlexiGel Strands are a synthetic matrix that absorbs excess exudates fluid and swells to conform to the wound contours to entrap slough and necrotic debris within its strands. These strands are bound together by a matrix bridge to minimize disruption of the matrix material during use. FlexiGel Strands is flexible, pliable, and non-adherent to aid in comfort. It is commonly used for the management of exudates from chronic wounds such as ulcers, pressure sores, donor sites, surgical incisions, surgical excisions, lacerations, and 1st and 2nd degree burns. FlexiGel Strands are highly absorbent, permeable, and contains 20% glycerin. It remains moist while maintaining its integrity to gently conform to the wound space. FlexiGel strands do not dry out or stick to the wound, nor does it dry the wound out. They are easy to apply and it is easy to determine the appropriate dosage. They do not break down into nor leave any dressing debris in the wound, which eliminates the need to cleanse the wound during dressing changes.
With hydrogel dressing, physicians and wound care specialists have found an important tool they can use to help their patients. Hydrogel dressing is an essential component of any wound care regimen.
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