The ALLEVYN Ag dressings consist of an absorbent hydrocellular foam pad8,9,11,12 held between a highly permeable outer top film and a non-adherent wound contact layer that will not stick to the wound itself10,15,16,17.
Depending on the specific dressing there is a choice of adhesive available to cater for individual patient needs ranging from the gentle soft-gel of ALLEVYN Ag Gentle, the gentle silicone adhesive of ALLEVYN Ag Gentle Border and the secure low allergy18 adhesive of ALLEVYN Ag Adhesive.
Breathable Top Film
The outer polyurethane top film switches to become more breathable in the presence of exudate 11,12,19 .
It also helps to prevent strikethrough and provides an effective barrier to bacteria20,21,22 and minimises the risk of cross contamination.
Highly Absorbent Foam Core
The hydrocellular foam core is highly absorbent8,9,10,11 , providing absorption capacity for up to 7 days6,7,23,24 .
Non-Adherent Wound Contact Layer
The wound contact layer will not stick to the wound10,15,16,17 and is available in a range of adhesive types to cater for differing patient needs.
ALLEVYN Ag provides a broad spectrum antimicrobial action2,3 via the inclusion of silver sulfadiazine into the hydrocellular foam pad. Silver is a commonly used antimicrobial agent in woundcare and has been demonstrated to be effective against antibiotic resistant bacteria such as Pseudomonas, MRSA and VRE2,3 for up to 7 days in-vitro 3,13,14.
Silver works via a multi-modal action, acting on several different areas of the bacteria to achieve an effective bacterial kill25
Silver acts on several areas of the cell to achieve an effective bacterial kill25 . Clinical trials on ALLEVYN Ag have demonstrated its efficacy in patients with Lantis et al observing a significant reduction in bioburden in the wound during the use of ALLEVYN Ag combined with a decrease in the signs and symptoms of infection and a reduction in wound area26 .
References
1. The clinical and physical properties of ALLEVYN Ag dressings and the moist wound environment 2. Data on File 0707052 – Antimicrobial activity of ALLEVYN Ag dressings against a broad spectrum of wound pathogens using a dynamic shake flask method. July 3. Smith & Nephew Research Centre Report Ref: RR-WMP07330-10-03. The equivalence of the antimicrobial efficacies of the ALLEVYN Ag foam variants against key wound pathogens. Driffield K, Woodmansey E. Dates 25/03/2009 4. Harding KG, Bale S. A randomised clinical study to evaluate and compare the performance of ALLEVYN Adhesive and Tielle dressings in the management of exuding wounds in the community: Smith & Nephew healthcare. 5. Managing diabetic foot lesions with ALLEVYN Heel dressing , Watret L (2000) The Diabetic Foot, 3(1),21-22 6. Data on file report ref: 0711086 – Results from a 7 day volunteer trial evaluating ALLEVYN Gentle dressings in terms of pain on removal, dressing retention and other physical characteristics. A. Bond December 2007 7. Smith & Nephew Medical Ltd. Report Ref: HVT050 Results from an open, prospective, randomised, within volunteer comparison of Dakota and Mepilex Border, Palmer S., & Smith G. 4th December 2008 8. Data on File Reference 0702002, ALLEVYN Ag Adhesive dressing Physical Properties, Daubney L, February 2007 9. Data on File Reference 0702001, ALLEVYN Ag Non Adhesive – Physical Properties, L Daubney, February 2007 10. Comparing two dressings in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, Foster AVM et al (1994), J Wound Care, 3(5), 224-228 11. Smith & Nephew Medical Ltd. Report Ref: DS/08/107/R1b, ALLEVYN Ag Gentle Dressings Physical Properties, Carpenter S. November 2008 12. Smith and Nephew Medical Ltd. Report Ref: DS/08/098/R1b, ALLEVYN Ag Gentle Border Dressings Physical Properties, Carpenter S, November 2008 13. Data on File 0703014 – Antimicrobial activity of ALLLEVYN Ag Adhesive over 7 days. E. Woodmansey March 2007 14. Data on File 0703003 – Antimicrobial activity of ALLEVYN Ag Non-Adhesive over 7 days. E. Woodmansey March 2007 15. Avanzi R, Martinelli R, Accardi S, Giraudi C, Peroli P, Rowan S et al. Adhesive hydrocellular dressing vs. hydrocolloid dressing in the treatment of 2nd and 3rd degree pressure ulcers. 16. ALLEVYN Gentle – A 17 day wound healing study in full thickness wounds in minipigs, September 2007 17. ALLEVYN Gentle Border (Dakota) – A 17 day wound healing study in Full Thickness Wounds in Minipigs, October 2008 18. A human repeat insult patch test with adhesive materials. Inveresk Research International Report No. 3524, June 1986 19. Smith & Nephew Data on File Report Comparison of the Permeability of ALLEVYN Non-Adhesive standard and the new ALLEVYN Non-Adhesive written by David Foster and Ana Riel. February 2006 20. Smith & Nephew Wound Management, report ref: 070305, Bacterial Barrier testing (wet-wet) on samples of ALLEVYN Gentle, ALLEVYN Gentle Border dressings with 7 day test duration against S. Marcescens. Vaughan J October 2010 21. Smith & Nephew Data on File Report 070304 – Bacterial Barrier Testing (wet-wet) on samples of ALLEVYN Ag Non-Adhesive dressing with a 7 day test duration against MRSA, E. Woodmansey. March 2007 22. Data on File 0703013 – Bacterial Barrier testing (wet-wet) on samples of ALLEVYN Ag Adhesive dressing with a 7 day test duration against MRSA. E. Woodmansey, Feb 2007 23. ALLEVYN Ag Adhesive dressings: A summary of absorbent capacity and antimicrobial longevity. 24. Memo’s of 17th June 1993 and 12th October 1999 ALLEVYN Hydrocellular Dressing – Durability Data by D. Quinlan 25. Warriner and Burrell. Infection and the chronic wound: a focus on silver. Advances in skin and wound care. Vol 18, Supp. 1, Oct 2005 26. Lantis J. Gendics, C In vivo effect of sustained-release silver sulphadiazine foam on bioburden and wound closure in infected venous leg ulcers Journal of Wound Care Vol. 20 , no2 , February 2011 27. Kotz P, Fisher J, McCluskey P, Hartwell SD, Dharma H. Use of a new silver barrier dressing, ALLEVYN Ag in exuding chronic wounds Int Wound J 2009; 6:186–194