Wound Infection Solutions
Which dressings do we use and what purpose do they have?

Choose the right product, at the right time, for the right patient

Chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers and pressure ulcers can be costly and hard to treat.  The presence of infection and biofilm can delay healing, cause wider complication such as amputation or systemic infection, and increase costs.

Optimal management of infection and biofilms, with informed antimicrobial stewardship and the appropriate use of antibiotics, can improve patient outcomes.

Find the right treatment pathway to help improve outcomes

Average treatment costs can be three times higher if wounds get infected with incorrect antimicrobial use reported in 51.4% of cases.  Our solutions aim to facilitate effective management and treatment:

• When biofilms are identified.
• For stalled chronic wounds.
• When there are obvious signs of clinical (acute) infection.
• When precise debridement is required.
• To inform wound assessment and treatment choice.

With an effective Treatment pathway: 

The diagram below will help you to identify the products that can be used for Infection Management for chronic wounds.  It will also clarify the purpose of these dressings.

Wound Infection Solution Products

Some examples of Smith & Nephews Wound Infection Solution Products can be found below.   Click on this link to see Smith & Nephew's full range of products.

Below are some documents that will help guide you to improve patient outcomes with accurate decision making, a fast response and effective treatment choices.

Smith & Nephew - A route to more effective infection management

Management of sloughy and non-healing chronic ulcers can be difficult.  We have included a Biofilm management protocol that you can use as a guide.

Smith & Nephew - Biofilm Management Protocol

Download the Acticoat Chronic Wounds Detail Aid 1 here

Document Application Guides

• Application Guides

  Acticoat Application Guide

  Acticoat Flex Application Poster

  Iodsorb Application Guide

   

Frequently Asked Questions

• Which steps should you follow to undertake a comprehensive assessment?

  A - Assess patient, wellbeing and wound

  B - Bring in a multi-disciplinary team and informal carers to promote holistic patient assessment

  C -  Control and treat the underlying causes and barriers to wound healing

  D -  Decide appropriate treatment

  E -  Evaluate and reassess the treatment and wound management outcomes

   

• What is a two- week challenge?

  Antimicrobial dressings are recommended to be used for a minimum of two weeks’ duration. After two weeks, re-evaluate and either:

  1.  Discontinue if signs and symptoms of infection have resolved,

  2.  Continue with antimicrobial if wound is progressing but there are still signs and symptoms, or

  3.  Consider an alternative antimicrobial and refer to an appropriate specialist if no improvement.

• For what period do you need to treat a wound with Biofilm?

  Reassess at regular intervals as per local protocol and appropriate antimicrobials use. Two weeks’ minimum

  treatment – may need longer than overt local infection treatment due to persistent nature of biofilms

• What are the modes of action for IODOSORB?

  1.  Disrupts biofilm

  2.  Reduces bioburden

  3.  Absorbs exudate

  4.  Removes slough and necrotic tissue

• How quickly will Acticoat start to kill bacteria?

  Acticoat is very fast acting. It kills bacteria within as little as 30min(in vitro). Bacteria have little time to multiply allowing you to take rapid control and reduce the opportunity for bacteria to develop antimicrobial resistance.

• How effective is Acticoat?

  Very effective broad spectrum. Bactericidal against 150+ pathogens. Including gram positive bacteria, gram negative bacteria, yeast and fungal wound pathogens MRSA, VRE CRE (in vitro).

• How long will Acticoat be active?

  With Acticoat you have a sustained release of silver. Acticoat continues to work effectively for up to 3 or 7 days. From a patient perspective, fewer dressing changes reduces stress and trauma.

  Limiting disturbance to the wound can also lead to faster healing.