A Prospective Comparison of Two Post-Operative dressings in the treatment of surgical incisions in healthy volunteers

Introduction: Surgical site infections are one of the leading causes of post-operative morbidity and mortality worldwide. The ideal post-operative dressing protects the wound from bacterial contamination while maintaining proper moisture balance. In the past, surgical dressings consisted of gauze tapped into place over the wound; however, these dressings did not protect the incision from contamination and subsequent infection. Modern dressings, such as transparent films, are designed to form a barrier against bacteria and allow moisture to evaporate through the dressing reducing maceration of the skin. The latest development in post-operative dressings include built in indicators that detect disruption in dressing integrity and signal to the patient the need to replace it. Methods: This study compared wear time, dressing integrity, subject preference, and adverse events for two transparent post-operative dressings. Twenty healthy volunteers drawn from the general population underwent creation of a 1.5cm incision on the volar surface of each forearm. The incisions were approximated and randomized to receive either Tegaderm® + Pad (3M, St. Paul, MN) or DrySee® (DrySee® Inc., Houston, TX). DrySee® has a liquid indicator in the perimeter of the dressing that turns blue when moisture is present. The subjects maintained contact with the research site for one month. Participants were instructed to wear the dressing and continue their typical activities of daily living (ADL’s). Results: 95% of participants found DrySee® maintained integrity during showering and typical ADL’s (laundry, light exercise, use of technology) compared to 70% for the incision treated with Tegaderm. When asked about overall dressing preference, 76% of the subjects preferred Drysee compared to 24% for Tegaderm. There was no statistical significance in average wear time for the two dressings (average 1.5 days). There were no surgical infections in either group. Subjects reported that the indicator in the DrySee® dressing increased their confidence in the dressing. Conclusion: Subjects preferred the dressing with the indicator of dressing integrity. It may increase patient compliance with post-operative dressing wear.