Drawtex - First Hydroconductive Wound Dressing
Drawtex® is the first hydroconductive wound dressing. It features exclusive LevaFiber™ Technology aiding effective wound bed preparation without damaging newly formed tissue. Because of its three types of action (capillary, hydroconductive and electrostatic), made possible by exclusive LevaFiber Technology, Drawtex is more than just a simple absorber. Drawtex can be used as a first-line dressing as part of the standard of care for wound bed preparation.
Based on clinical data, Drawtex has been shown to meet the challenges of wound bed preparation in the following ways:
• Manages and controls excessive wound exudate1,6
As Drawtex Wound Dressing draws the exudate away from the wound surface, it also removes toxic components, such as slough, wound debris and bacteria, that compromise wound healing.5-12 By dispersing the exudate both vertically and horizontally, Drawtex controls and retains the wound fluid so that it can be transferred to additional layers of Drawtex if needed.
Wound bed preparation is the management of a wound in order to accelerate endogenous healing or to facilitate the effectiveness of other therapeutic measures.2 Recent data has been published showing how wound treatment with Drawtex meets the complex challenges of wound bed preparation3
Capillary action gives Drawtex its ability to move wound exudate and wound debris into the porous material of the dressing. With the small pores acting as capillaries, intermolecular attractive forces between the exudate and solid surfaces of the wound dressing allow the exudate to be drawn upward against the force of gravity.
Hydroconductive action is controlled by Darcy’s Law that defines the ability of a fluid to flow through porous media. Fluid can move from wetter to drier – even against gravity. This explains how water can be transported from the roots of a tree to the leaves. The LevaFiberTM Technology of Drawtex allows the dressing to lift, hold and transfer the wound exudate both vertically and horizontally by hydroconductive action.
Electrostatic action occurs when the negatively charged Drawtex wound dressing comes into contact with the wound exudate. Ions from the exudate form a mobile layer of the opposite charge known as the electric double layer, effectively reversing the charge on the surface of the dressing to become positive. This allows the dressing to draw out a relatively large amount of exudate, devitalised tissue, bacteria and deleterious chemical mediators.
SACRAL SHAPE
To fold into heart-shaped wound, while vertical slits splay slightly, filling the area.spiral-shape
SPIRAL SHAPE
To fill cavities or cover amputationsstoma-shape
STOMA SHAPE
To fit around G-tubes and trach tubes. Drawtex Tracheostomy Dressing may be used.drain-shape
DRAIN SHAPE
To drain by way of cutting strips with the opposite end going into a colostomy bag.
Wound bed preparation is the management of a wound in order to accelerate endogenous healing or to facilitate the effectiveness of other therapeutic measures.2 Recent data has been published showing how wound treatment with Drawtex meets the complex challenges of wound bed preparation3:
Using an advanced pattern recognition software algorithm* to analyse digital wound images, researchers calculated wound measurements and analysed tissue composition of the wound bed. They found:
- Drawtex actively draws fluid away from the wound up to 150 cc/hour, retaining its integrity when moist.4
- Drawtex helps to selectively remove debris from the wound by drawing out adherent fibrin and slough, while leaving healthy granulation tissue in place.4
Another study concluded that the advantages of exudate removal by Drawtex were numerous. Not only was the fluid removed, but nutrients in the exudate that facilitate biofilm production were also drawn off.5
Decreases the tissue bacterial level- A study that evaluated Drawtex in an infected burn model demonstrated that Drawtex can draw methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from either an inoculated broth or an experimental burn wound eschar.6
- Similar results were reported in patients with chronic wounds, where tissue biopsy bacterial counts decreased from 106 to 102 CFUs per gram of tissue, while at the same time the bacterial counts in the Drawtex dressings increased up to 104 CFUs.7
Chronic wounds have excessive inflammation, increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, increased proteases such as MMPs, and decreased growth factors.8-10 Removing or decreasing the harmful MMPs is an important aspect of wound bed preparation.
- One study reported that Drawtex could draw MMP-9 and transport it for a distance up to 7cm from the wound.11
- Another similar study showed that both MMP-9 and MMP-1 were drawn out of chronic wounds with Drawtex wound dressings, as well as a concomitant rise in MMPs in the Drawtex dressings.7
With Drawtex meeting the goals listed above for wound bed preparation, obstacles to endogenous wound healing or wound closure procedures are removed.
*iCLR Technology® powered by Elixr®