Foam dressings are ideal to maintain a moist wound environment and to absorb drainage. They are generally made from hydrophilic polyurethane foam. They offer many advantages and are used commonly as both primary and secondary dressings. Read on to learn about the many qualities that foam dressings offer, as well as the disadvantages of using these dressings.

Product Overview

One of the best qualities of foam dressings is their absorbency, and also the fact that they leave nothing behind in the wound bed when removed. Foam dressings come in many shapes, sizes, and thicknesses. You will find them in pad, sheet and pillow form. They do not stick to wounds, due to a nonadherent layer, making removal easy and painless.

Indications

• Partial and full-thickness wounds
• Wounds with minimal to heavy drainage
• Can be used to absorb drainage around tubes
• Used as a primary dressing to absorb drainage
• Provide insulation
• Used as a secondary dressing for wounds with packing, deep cavity wounds
• Weeping ulcers, such as venous stasis ulcers

Contraindications

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• Wounds with dry eschar
• Wounds with little or no drainage

Advantages

• Will not stick to wounds
• Do not allow contaminants to settle in wound bed
• Easy to apply and remove
• Absorb exudate effectively, even when drainage is heavy
• Can be used with compression
• Less frequent dressing changes means foam dressings can be very cost effective
• Very comfortable for the patient

Disadvantages

• May cause maceration of periwound skin if not changed often enough
• May require tape, wrap or net to hold them in place if they do not have an adhesive border
• May cause a drying effect if there is little drainage from the wound

Reference:

Hess, C. (2002). Clinical Guide: Wound Care. Fourth Edition. Springhouse, PA: Springhouse Corporation.?