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hydrogel dressing

Characteristics: 1) sheet or amorphous gels that have 20-90% water 2) some have starch copolymers that obsorb small amounts of exudate 3) some products are dehydrated gels that offer more obsorption 4) nonadhesive 5) gas permeable Indications: 1) painless or painful wounds 2) dry to minimally exudating wounds - noninfected stage 3 ulcers with minimal exudate 3) partial-thickness wounds: sheet gel 4) full thickness wounds: amorphous gel 5) granular or necrotic wounds 6) pressure ulcers 7) diabetic ulcers 8) arterial ulcers (do not moisten an arterial ulcer if no healing potential - leave dry) 9) laser wounds 10) amorphous gels may be used on infected wounds if changed daily Contraindications: 1) wounds with heavy exudate 2) stage 1 wounds (ulcers) 3) sheet hydrogels are NOT recommended on infected wounds Advantages: 1) autolysis - provides some autolytic debridement for minimal nonviable tissue [3] 2) conforms to wound bed 3) moist environment 4) nonadhesive 5) pain reduction, soothing 6) no trauma upon removal 7) semitransparent Disadvantages: 1) potential to macerate surrounding skin 2) may require secondary dressing 3) some products may dehydrate wound 4) may be difficult to retain in wounds Notes: Helpful hints: 1) saturate gauze pad with amorphous gel to pack into infected wounds with depth 2) change dressing based upon amount of drainage - if wound is drying out after 1 day, change dressing daily 3) sheet hydrogels work well on skin tears - change only 1-2 times/week Products: 1) sheets a) Aquasorb b) CarraDres c) Clearsite d) Curagel e) Elastogel f) Flexderm g) FlexiGel h) Nu-gel i) Thinsite j) Vigilon k) silicone gel sheets for treatment of scars 2) amorphous gels a) Biolex b) Carrasyn c) Comfeel Purilon Gel d) Curafil e) Curasol f) DiaB Gel g) Duoderm Gel h) Hyfil i) Hypergel j) Iamin k) Intrasite Gel l) Normigel m) Nugel n) NutraVue o) Restore Hydrogel p) Saf-gel q) Solosite r) Tegagel s) Woun'Dres

Specific

Aquasorb Biolex CarraDres Carrasyn Clearsite Comfeel Purilon Gel Curafil Curagel Curasol DiaB Gel Duoderm Gel Elastogel Flexderm FlexiGel HyFil Hypergel Iamin Intrasite Gel Normigel Nu-Gel NuGel NutraVue Restore Hydrogel Saf-gel silicone bandage silicone gel sheet Solosite Tegagel Thinsite Vigilon Woun'Dres

General

wound dressing hydrogel topical gel

References

  1. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA National Formulary
  2. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 15, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 2009
  3. Geriatric Review Syllabus, 11th edition (GRS11) Harper GM, Lyons WL, Potter JF (eds) American Geriatrics Society, 2022