- Why do I need a BreakAway Dressing?
Until now, all non-adherent absorbent dressings had a wound contact layer that was attached on all sides or laminated over the entire dressing-one integral dressing. As you know, all dressings can stick, under certain conditions. The wound is constantly changing. All areas do not heal at the same rate. The type and amount of exudate and presence of infection can cause changes under the dressing. The patient's temperature, the room temperature and humidity, or even the diet, can change the conditions under the dressing.
The problem is: you do not know if the dressing is going to stick or not, since the wound contact layer is an integral part of the absorbent pad. The area of adherence is hidden under the absorbent dressing. The only options you have are to soak the entire dressing or spend extra valuable time gently teasing the dressing away from the wound. All of these procedures are very time consuming for the medical staff. In addition, they absolutely involve the added risk of causing some degree of damage to the healing wound. The BreakAway dressing is the only non-adherent absorbent dressing with a releasably attached wound contact layer.
With the BreakAway, you can quickly separate the absorbent pad from the wound contact layer without damaging the wound. This feature allows you to examine the wound through the N-TERFACE® Wound Contact Layer. When necessary, you will be able to view precisely where (if it should occur) the wound contact layer is sticking. A small amount of saline can be applied to that area and the wound contact layer can be lifted off without damage to the wound.
This method drastically reduces the time needed to dress the wound, while protecting the newly generated epithelial cells and the peri wound area. This eliminates the time consuming procedure of soaking off the entire absorbent dressing. With other dressings, you can damage the wound before you determine where and how badly the dressing is going to stick. With the BreakAway, you have options and control over the dressing change.
- If the N-TERFACE® Wound Contact Layer should adhere, what is the benefit of the BreakAway?
In the vast majority of cases, the "non-adherent" N-TERFACE Wound Contact Layer will not adhere to the wound. If the BreakAway Dressing has been buttered-up with ointments or creams or if there are ointments or creams applied to the wound, the chances of adherence are minimal. Adherence depends on the type of wound, the amount and type of exudate, and patient's nutritional status. Environmental factors, such as, the dressing drying out or the ointment being absorbed, may also cause adherence.
This is why the BreakAway Wound Dressing is so important; you can take a dressing down quickly to the N-TERFACE Wound Contact Layer without damaging the wound or causing excessive pain. Using a BreakAway Wound Dressing eliminates the need to soak the entire dressing before removal (as is typically required with competitive dressings that do not have the BreakAway feature). The user has options unavailable with other absorbent dressings for heavy and moderately exudating wounds. If there is adherence, simply apply saline or solution of choice to loosen the N-TERFACE layer on the wound. Normally very little solution is required.
- Can I butter-up the dressing before applying it to the wound?
Yes. The BreakAway is compatible with all antibiotic creams and ointments. The releasably attached wound contact layer can be buttered while still attached to the pad. One of the advantages of the BreakAway dressing is the one step application of both the absorbent pad and the releasably attached wound contact layer. The BreakAway is the only dressing with this feature.
- Can the wound be cleansed through the N-TERFACE Wound Contact Layer after separating it from the absorbent pad?
Yes. Using a 4x4 gauze, soaked with solution of choice, the
N-TERFACE surface can be scrubbed to remove dried wound debris. When saline is used under pressure, such as in a bulb or aerosol can, the N-TERFACE helps protect delicate new cell formation from being disturbed.
- How long can the N-TERFACE be left on the wound?
N-TERFACE should be removed and replaced after 5 days on clean epithelizing wounds such as grafts. On other wounds, the
N-TERFACE layer should routinely be removed at each dressing change. Saline may be required to remove N-TERFACE from some granulating wounds.
- If I leave the N-TERFACE layer on the wound and apply another BreakAway dressing, will this interfere with the passage of exudate to the outer absorbent pad?
No. Exudate will pass through 2 or more layers of N-TERFACE when left on the wound. A large wound clinic using the BreakAway has the patient leave the N-TERFACE layer on the wound at each dressing change. Using a syringe, the patient cleanses the wound with saline and applies an antibiotic solution through the N-TERFACE material.
The clinic uses this procedure to reduce the chance of the patient contaminating or damaging the wound. The patient is seen in the clinic 2-3 times a week. When the patient returns to the clinic, there may be 3-5 layers of N-TERFACE on the wound.
The routine procedure in the hospital is to remove the N-TERFACE layer at each dressing change. If patients are changing their own BreakAway dressings between clinic visits, their experience and reliability determine whether to allow them to leave the N-TERFACE on the wound or to remove it at each dressing change.
- How does the BreakAway Wound Dressing help standardize wound dressing procedures throughout the hospital?
The caregiver taking the dressing down may not have been the one who dressed the wound. "BreakAway Wound Dressing" is printed on the back of the dressing for identification. As the patient is moved from one area of the hospital to another, the dressing identification will alert the other department's staff to use the BreakAway feature. Even without prior knowledge of the wound's history, the wound dressing change can be approached with confidence since the absorbent pad can be removed quickly and without damage to the wound. There will be less pain and discomfort for the patient, as well as, a much faster and easier dressing change for the medical staff.
- What happens if someone who is not familiar with the BreakAway Wound Dressing, removes it as they would any other dressing?
If the dressing is removed without using the BreakAway feature, it will be the same as removing any other absorbent dressing which has a permanently attached wound contact layer. However, the caregiver may see the pad lift away from the wound contact layer (since it is not attached at each end), and be alerted to use the BreakAway feature.
- What is a secondary dressing and how does it apply to the use of BreakAway and N-TERFACE?
When pig skin, cadaver skin, Biobrane®, or other temporary covers are used over wounds, the BreakAway can be applied over the cover. It absorbs fluids that can ooze out around the cover dressing or through holes in the cover. Using the absorbent BreakAway Dressing helps avoid the dislodgment of the cover dressing and the resulting wound trauma.
A good example is the donor site. One of the many methods used to dress this type of wound is to cover the wound with scarlet red gauze, Biobrane, Xeroform Gauze or fine mesh gauze. As the wound heals, the gauze peels back and the excess is trimmed away daily. In the past, the problem has been the outer absorbent dressing sticking to the gauze or Biobrane. It was difficult to remove the absorbent dressing at the first dressing change after surgery.
Upon its introduction, surgeons began using the N-TERFACE between the cover and the absorbent dressing. They found it easier and faster to remove the absorbent layers at dressing change. Also, this avoided the trauma to the wound caused by the dislodgment of the cover. Using the BreakAway Dressing, the N-TERFACE Material and the absorbent are applied in one step. This makes it much easier and faster to apply and to take down the dressing.
- Can the BreakAway dressing be used for debridement of necrotic tissue?
No. Gauze is used because it will stick to necrotic tissue that will be debrided when the gauze is taken down. On some wounds, there is a mixture of healing tissue and areas that need debridement. Apply gauze to the areas needing debridement. Then cover the gauze and healthy tissue with a BreakAway dressing. Upon removal of the BreakAway dressing, the healthy tissue will be protected while allowing the debridement of unhealthy tissue by the gauze.
The BreakAway insures that a non-adherent wound contact layer is always placed between an absorbent pad and the wound. This prevents accidental debridement of healthy tissue. Also, N-TERFACE has no adhesive that can damage the peri-wound area.
N-TERFACE® is a registered trademark of Winfield Laboratories, Inc.
BreakAway® is a registered trademark of Winfield Laboratories, Inc.
N-TERFACE® is U.S. patent protected.
BreakAway® is U.S. and Foreign Patent Protected
