PolyMem Shapes Wound Dressing

PolyMem Shapes Wound Dressing Benefits

• Cleanses: Contains a mild, tissue-friendly cleansing agent, activated by moisture that is gradually released into the wound bed. Built-in cleansing capabilities reduce the need to cleanse wounds during dressing changes so that one can avoid disrupting the growth of healthy tissue, as the wound heals.
• Fills up the wound: Gently expands to fill and conform to the wound.
• Absorbs the exudate: Wicks away up to ten times its weight in exudate. The absorption capability activates only if the material detects exudate. It adjusts to the wound type to provide the dressing function needed.
• Moistens the wound bed: Keeps the wound bed moist and soothes traumatized tissues, reducing wound pain and providing comfort at the wound site. The moisturizer also keeps the dressing pad from adhering to the wound so it removes with virtually no pain, improving the caregiver-patient interaction and overall care experience.
• Creates an optimal healing environment: PolyMem membrane keeps the wound bed moist and promotes the concentration of the body’s naturally produced growth factors, nutrients and regenerated cells in the wound bed. As a result, clinical studies show that these dressings offer quicker wound recovery times than traditional dressings.
• Relieves pain and swelling: Both persistent and procedure-related wound pain are usually relieved by the ability of PolyMem dressings to continually moisten the wound bed. It helps inhibit the nociceptor response, which helps reduce the swelling, pain and inflammation at and around the wound site.
• Protects from contamination: Semi-permeable polyurethane film backing helps prevent contaminants from entering the dressing or wound bed.
• Cost-effective: With PolyMem Shapes wound dressings, there is no need to rely on multiple wound care products. They have everything one needs in one easy-to-use dressing. They can effectively replace most common dressings:
  - Polyurethane or silicone foams
  - Hydrogels (by moistening with sterile water or saline)
  - Hydrocolloids
  - Transparent films
  - Gauze and traditional dressings
• Time-effective: Effectively cleanse, fill, absorb and moisten wounds throughout the healing continuum. No other single wound dressing combines these key wound-healing capabilities like PolyMem.
  - Leverages innovative formulation of dressing material
  - Creates an optimal moist wound healing environment
  - Streamlines the process of managing wounds
  - Continuous cleansing provided by the dressings
  - Usually eliminates the need for manual wound bed cleansing during dressing change

How do PolyMem Wound Dressings work?

• Provide continuous wound bed cleansing: The dressing contains a mild, tissue-friendly cleansing agent that is activated by moisture, drainage and/or exudate and is gradually released into the wound bed. This reduces interfacial tension between healthy tissue and debris, loosens eschar and necrotic tissue and supports autolytic debridement - all while keeping the wound bed clean throughout healing.
• Encourage wound comfort and improved healing: Glycerin (also known as glycerol), a moisturizer contained in the dressing, keeps the dressing from adhering to the wound bed and provides comfort at the wound site. Glycerin also reduces odor, conserves living fat cells, reduces hypergranulation, soothes traumatized tissues and supports autolytic debridement.
• Offer impressive wound wicking power: The polyurethane membrane matrix wicks away up to ten times its weight in exudate. It removes in one piece and will not fragment. The superabsorbent pad takes in and binds the water molecules from the wound fluid, allowing the natural growth factors and nutrients to concentrate in the wound bed.
• Provide both a liquid barrier and gas exchange: The semipermeable thin film backing provides a liquid barrier while allowing gas (O2 and CO2) exchange and maintaining an ideal Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate (MVTR) in order to optimize the appropriate moisture balance for healing the wound. The transparent film backing allows visual inspection of the membrane to determine the need for a dressing change.

When to use PolyMem Foam Dressings?

PolyMem foam dressings are used on wounds with dry, slight, moderate, or heavy drainage/exudate. They help effectively heal most common wound types:

• Full and Partial thickness wounds
• Pressure ulcers (Stage I, II, III, IV)
• Diabetic ulcers
• Venous ulcers (Venous stasis ulcers)
• Donor and graft sites
• First and second-degree burns
• Skin tears
• Surgical wounds
• Tube sites
• Dermatologic disorders

Healthcare professionals have also found these dressings effective on:

• Chronic wounds
• Acute wounds
• Venous dermatitis
• Trauma wounds
• Pediatric wounds
• Infected wounds
• Road rash
• Bruises
• Abrasions

How to use PolyMem Shapes Dressing?

Application Instructions:

1. Initial Dressing Application: Prepare the wound according to the protocol or as directed by a physician or other ordering clinician.
2. Select a PolyMem Shapes wound dressing so that the membrane is approximately 1/4" - 2" (0.6 - 5 cm) larger than the wound. Helpful Hint: For dry wounds, moisten dressing slightly with sterile water or saline prior to application.
3. Apply the dressing film side out and/or printed side out. The dramatic increase in wound fluid may be observed during the first few days. This is not uncommon and indicates that the dressing is working. Helpful Hint: Outlining the wound size on the outside of the dressing helps in determining when a dressing change is needed.
4. Keep the dressing dry and in place when bathing. Change the dressing if it gets wet.
5. Topical treatments are not recommended in conjunction with PolyMem family of dressings.

Dressing Change:

1. Change dressings before the wound fluid, visible through the dressing, reaches the wound margin. Change the dressing immediately if the wound fluid reaches the edge of the membrane pad. For mildly exudating wounds in otherwise healthy patients, dressing can be left on for a recommended maximum of seven days. As with other dressings, more frequent changes may be indicated if the patient has a compromised immune system, diabetes, or infection at the wound site.
2. Gently peel the adhesive film toward the center of the dressing.
3. Remove the dressing from the wound site. The PolyMem formulated pad will not adhere to the wound bed, usually assuring pain-free dressing changes.
4. Do not disturb the wound bed. Do not clean the wound bed or flush with saline or water unless the wound is infected or contaminated. PolyMem Shapes dressings contain a wound cleanser and leave no residue. Additional cleaning of the wound may injure regenerating tissue and delay wound healing. The intact skin around the wound may be cleansed while leaving the wound bed undisturbed.
5. Apply a new dressing.