FEA Modeling and Moisture Management Properties of a Novel Silicone Dressing

Introduction
In the United States, pressure injuries affect over 2.5 million people. Recent guidelines recommend foam dressings on bony prominences as part of a pressure injury prevention strategy.

This study assessed the reduction in tissues strain and stresses associated with the use of a new silicone foam dressing as well as its ability to manage moisture.

Method
Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was used to model the ability of foam dressings to reduce tissue strains surrounding the sacral bone. Two commercially available silicone foam dressings were modeled against a no-dressing control.

Fluid handling was assessed by applying dressings to heated glass cylinders. Aritificial would fluid* was dispended at 1 cc/hr. After 24 hours, the surface area of the dressing saturated with fluid was measured.

Conclusion
The FEA results in this study indicated that the TSF* and MBS* dressings greatly reduce exposure to high levels of tissure strains under the sacrum.

The construction of these dressings draws moisture away from surrounding intact skin.

Both the moisture management and strain reduction characteristics of the TSF dressing may help to protect patients from pressure injury, especially when lying in a hospital bed in a Fowler Position.

Footnote
This work was sponsored and supported by 3M Health Care.
Data on file at 3M.
*Artificial wound fluid: Dyed Ringer's Solution
*TSF: 3M^TM Tegaderm^TM Silicone Foam
*MBS: Mölnlycke Mepilex® Border Sacrum