(LR-013) Clear HydroCore Sacral Dressing- Pressure and Temperature
Co-Author(s):
Anthony Frei, Ph.D. – Medline; Martha Roman, B.S. – Medline
Introduction: Pressure injuries occur from a variety of factors, such as the amount and duration of pressure, shear and frictional forces, microclimate, and overall patient health. Rotating/ re-positioning at-risk (bedridden or minimally motile) patients and improving patient well-being can reduce the likelihood of pressure injury development. Importantly, a vast amount of clinical evidence indicates that the use of prophylactic dressings, most often multi-layered foam dressings, helps to reduce the likelihood of pressure injuries in at-risk patients by combating these forces.
Methods: Our study investigates whether a novel, transparent HydroCore-based dressing alleviates the factors that contribute to pressure injury development – pressure and microclimate. Pressure testing utilized a new clinically relevant simulated buttocks model with pressure forces based on human subjects. This model recreates the forces that would affect a patient in a hospital setting. Microclimate testing utilized a hot plate model that simulated the hot skin of patient against several prophylactic dressings to evaluate the effects of these dressings on skin temperature.
Results: Our pressure and microclimate studies indicate positive outcomes for the HydroCore based dressing and further demonstrate a whole system approach is the ideal strategy to truly model all factors that compound pressure injury. Further clinical investigation is necessary to determine clinical success.
Discussion: A multitude of laboratory studies have demonstrated that prophylactic dressings, usually foam dressings, are able to re-distribute pressure throughout the dressing. However, these studies have varying levels of clinical applicability. Since foam dressings are also known to insulate/trap heat and can thus influence microclimate and pressure injury development, test methods only characterizing force without considering composition can dramatically affect outcome.