Handling properties of a superabsorbent dressing in the management of patients with moderate-to-very high exuding wounds

Objective: Exudate control is an important aspect of wound management in both acute and chronic wounds. Exudate can be an indicator of the wound bed condition, specifically inflammation and infection. This study aimed to evaluate the performance, in terms of usability, handling properties, exudate management, user satisfaction and patient comfort, in daily clinical practice, of a superabsorbent dressing, Vliwasorb Pro (Lohmann & Rauscher), suitable for the management of moderate-to-very high exudate levels. Method: The user test was conducted between September 2016 and July 2017, with clinicians from different specialisms in 55 centres across Germany. Both the dressing and user test were supplied by the sponsor. The superabsorbent dressing was used for at least three dressing changes, with frequency dependent on the patient and wound condition. Results: A total of 55 clinicians recruited 171 patients with various wound types. The clinicians rated dressing application as ‘easy’ for 163 (95.3%) of the patie...