Foam dressings: a review of the literature and evaluation of fluid-handling capacity of four leading foam dressings

There is a wide range of dressings classified as ‘foam dressings’; however, there can be substantial differences in the chemical makeup of different foam dressings. Sussman (2010) distinguishes foams into two separate groups, those being a ‘true foam’ that draws fluid into air spaces, or ‘pseudo-foam’ that draws in fluid and physically expands as it retains it. True foams contain hydrophilic polyurethane foam, whereas pseudo-foams contain absorbent materials, such as viscose and acrylate fibres, or particles of superabsorbent polyacrylate designed to increase fluid handling. The management of wound exudate is one of the key components of an effective wound dressing and the absorbency and permeability of a dressing have an impact on its fluid-handling capacity (Thomas, 2010). How effectively a dressing manages wound exudate affects a number of factors, including the following: Patient quality of life Condition of the surrounding skin Wear time and healing rates.