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Abstract
Wound management can be a confusing area of nursing practice. Even when an holistic patient assessment has been undertaken healthcare professionals frequently ask for guidance when faced with choosing the most appropriate wound management product. This article reviews two hydrogels from Smith & Nephew Healthcare - Intrasite Gel and Intrasite Conformable, which Is the latest addition to the hydrogel range.
The benefits of using hydrogels have been widely documented over the last decade (Thomas, 1992; Phillips, 1997; Dealey, 1999). In order to gain more understanding in relation to wound management, it is essential that nurses understand how hydrogels differ from other wound care products.
Hydrogels are available for use as amorphous gels in various types of application systems, e.g. flat sheet hydrogels and a non-- woven dressing impregnated with amorphous hydrogel solution. These products consist of hydrophilic homopolymers or copolymers which interact with aqueous solutions, absorbing and retaining significant volumes of fluid.
Flat sheet hydrogel dressings have a stable cross-linked macrostructure and therefore retain their physical form as they absorb fluid. Amorphous hydrogels such as Intrasite Gel are not extensively cross-linked and therefore progressively decrease in viscosity as they absorb fluid, until they disperse or become a solution of the polymer in a liquid phase (Thomas and Jones, 1996).
Intrasite Gel contains 2.3% carboxymethylcellulose polymer, 77.7% water and 20% propylene glycol. This high water content allows the transmission of water vapour and oxygen while allowing the donation of water molecules to the wound surface, thus rehydrating non-viable tissue and maintaining a moist environment (Jones and Milton, 2000). As a result of its cross-linked nature, the carboxymethylcellulose polymer is partially hydrated and therefore has the ability to absorb fluid and donate fluid which in turn provides the rehydration properties needed for effective debridement (Thomas and Hay, 1994).
The composition of the gel enables it to conform to the wound contours, maintain a moist environment and keep exposed painful nerve endings bathed in fluid (Todd, 1994). Fowler (1999) considers the soothing nature of the hydrogel as being a major benefit for the patient.
INTRASITE GEL
Intrasite Gel is currently available in three sizes: 8 g, 15 g and 25 g. Both the 8 g and 15 g sizes are available on the Drug Tariff (Figure...