A range of wound dressings currently available in the UK and elsewhere, each claiming to possess different performance characteristics, can make dressing selection difficult. This report concentrates on the superabsorbent polymer dressings (SAPs) – which are designed to absorb medium to high levels of exudate and to maintain an ‘ideal moist wound healing environment’. What do these dressings achieve, what are they suitable/not suitable for, and are all super-absorbent dressings equal in terms of performance and quality? When assessing the key performance characteristics of absorbency, moisture vapour transmission rate (MVTR), strikethrough and structural integrity, results show that SAPs are not all the same—in fact each of them varies considerably and may lend themselves to different wound aetiologies and usage conditions. While performance data is often presented from non-standard tests or modifications, it is proposed that to provide clarity over dressing selection, all SAPs were measured using International Standards for the key performance characteristics. This will aid clinical staff in selecting the most appropriate dressing for each wound.
Thirty-eight million people contact a medical device every day in the UK. The UK has over 3000 companies employing 76 000 people in medical technology. Currently valued at £17 billion and growing at rates exceeding 6%, the UK has remained a leader in medical device innovation. Governed under the European Union (EU) Medical Device legislations, it is demonstrated that this model, and the UK's continued membership accounts to an optimal balance between safety and risk with early access to new innovation. Leaving the EU would have a detrimental effect on UK businesses where EU legislation is used for market access. With the cost of regulation increasing, and the cost of products being forced to decrease, many UK businesses will no longer find it viable to innovate and manufacture within the UK.
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