Moist wound healing compared with standard care of treatment of primary closed vascular surgical wounds: A prospective randomized controlled study

Abstract

This study was a randomized-controlled trial comparing the standard type of dry dressing, Mepore®, with moist wound healing, using a hydrofiber dressing, Aquacel™, in primary closed wounds after vascular surgery. The endpoints were patient comfort, cost-effectiveness, infections, wound complications, and length of hospital stay. One hundred and sixty patients were randomized to receive either Mepore® or Aquacel™ dressing. There was no significant difference in patient comfort between the two groups, but a higher cost in the Aquacel™ group despite significantly fewer changes of dressings in these patients. No difference in the infection rate (13% vs. 11%, p=0.73), length of hospital stay, or wound complications was noted between the two groups. We conclude that although the Aquacel™ dressing needed significantly fewer changes than the conventional dressing, this did not influence the patient comfort. Moreover, the traditional dressing scheme was significantly less expensive. © 2007 by the Wound Healing Society.