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Would you be happy to use Lyofoam or would you want Allevyn?

Hi Bagpuss,

When did you give up TV and become a 'Pod'?

I use Lyofoam for light exudate and Allevyn for heavier so I'd be happier with Allevyn. If the heavy exudate is on the plantar and the patient weight- bears just once on the area it won't make any difference, you'll probably get strikethrough anyway.
Heavy exudate may indicate infection so I'd consider that too in the choice of dressing.

Cheers
John

My preference would be Biatain (Coloplast product), similar to Allevyn. May use Aquacell as a primary dressing is some instances e.g. moist slough

sandra

I'd go for Allevyn...I just find it "holds more" - providing you have a decent border of course.

What about using the VAC Therapy System? Vacuum Assisted Closure by KCI Medical...Works amazing with heavily exudating wounds. The dressing need only be changed three times per week! Look it up...www.kci1.com. Not only will it remove the exudate but increases wound healing by 66% as compared to conventional dressings...it's a closed, moist, wound healing environment that brings blood to the area thus increasing granulation tissue formation. Every podiatry office should have one!

Bagpuss,

Biatain (Coloplast) is always my foam dressing of choice, especially in plantar wounds!
Allevyn, I find, generally leads to maceration and I sometimes use it to enhance re-hydration of wounds as it is poorer at absorption!
Although Lyofoam is the dressing the your finances would fancy, it is the most poorly performing foam on the market!

VAC is big-time expensive, but worth it in the right wound as, in the end, it can save money!

However, why is the wound exudating +++++++++++++++?

Obviously, if it is venous, infected, pressure/neuropathy-induced or malignant, the exudate is better addressed by addressing the cause.

Outisde of that, Inadine is excellent at 'drying' wounds and keeping infection at bay and carboflex is great at exudate and odour management!

Hope this is of some help!?

__________________
nicpod1

Thanks for the responses, however, they are not quite what I'm looking for, so I shall we rephrase it. If you only had the choice of Allevyn or Lyofoam, which would you want to use?

As much as I would love to have access to many of the dressings given as alternatives and I am fully aware of the importance of addressing the underlying cause, when I first come across a heavily exudating wound, these are the two dressings that are CURRENTLY available to me.

Lets just say, that due to finanical restraints, we are having our arms twisted into using only one of the above dressings :)

Hi Bagpus,

If I can't have both then it has to be Allevyn.

Cheers
John

For a wound with copious amount of exudate I go with allevyn(alginates tend to be the dressing of choice for these types of wounds).