Hydrocolloid dressing
A hydrocolloid dressing is a medical dressing for superficial open wounds. Such a bandage is biodegradable, and breathable; depending on the dressing selected, it may also adhere to the skin so that no separate taping is needed.
The active surface of the dressing is coated with a cross-linked dispersion of gelatin, pectin, and carboxymethyl cellulose together with other polymers, elastomers, and/or adhesives to form a flexible, thin wafer or film; the outer side is typically a polyurethane tape or foam. In contact with wound exudate, the polysaccharides and other polymers absorb water and swell, forming a gel. The gel may be designed to drain, or to remain within the structure of the adhesive matrix.
Depending on manufacturer, the dressings are available in transparent, transluscent, or opaque varieties. Certain brands will develop a wider opaque area when saturated with exudate, which is sometimes a suggested indicator of when to replace them.
The moist conditions produced under the dressing are intended to promote wound healing, including fibrinolysis and angiogenesis, without causing softening and breakdown of tissue. Most hydrocolloid dressings are water-resistant, allowing gentle washing and bathing.
Uses
The dressing is applied to a cleaned wound, and usually used to treat uninfected wounds. The dressings may be used, under medical supervision and with an antibiotic to treat the infection, even where aerobic bacterial infection is present.In addition to treating abrasions, minor incisions and lacerations, and superficial puncture wounds, hydrocolloid dressings are used to cover skin-graft donor sites, burns, and cutaneous ulcers.
Small hydrocolloid patches are sometimes also used for acne, to heal the pimples and avoid scars from them.
Large dressings with a consistent, adhesive film across the active side can be cut into smaller strips or other shapes, for use in place of a traditional adhesive bandage of the same size.
An indirectly medical use of strips of hydrocolloid dressing is as an alternative to surgical tape, e.g. to secure a nasogastric tube or CPAP mask to a patient's face.
Efficacy
Hydrocolloid has been shown to be superior to other dressing substrates tested for treating skin-graft donor sites.There is tentative but unclear evidence for the efficacy of hydrocolloid dressings for superficial and partial-thickness burns.
The results of meta-analyses indicate no significant difference in healing rates between hydrocolloid dressings and other dressings for venous ulcers, or for diabetic foot ulcers.