In a primary care setting

AQUACEL^® dressing, in a protocol of care, on leg ulcers showed differences in terms of dressing performance, dressing wear time and cost effectiveness when compared to an alginate dressing over 12 weeks¹

An open, prospective, randomized, controlled multi-center evaluation in 131 patients with leg ulcers, treated in the community over 12 weeks

AQUACEL^® dressing compared to an alginate dressing demonstrated:

• Improved wear time 3.63 days vs. 3.27 days (p<0.001)
• Lower cost per 10% reduction in ulcer area*$131.46 vs. $172.03
• ”Excellent” ease of application 76% vs. 55% (p=0.03)
• “Excellent” ease of removal 51% vs. 24% (p=0.006)
• No pain at dressing removal 82% vs. 62% (p<0.001)
• Less adhesion and less residue than an alginate 38% vs. 74% (p<0.001)
• “Excellent” containment of exudate44% vs. 20% (p=0.002)
• Mean reduction in ulcer area of 20.35 in (516.86mm)² compared to 13.67 in (347.30mm)² for patients managed with an alginate dressing (p=0.48)
• Of the patients that healed, those in the AQUACEL^® dressing group healed, on average, 14 days faster than those in the alginate group (p=0.053)

This study was funded by ConvaTec Inc.

* Cost comparisons are based on cost data from the United Kingdom in 2001, converted into US dollars. Cost data may not accurately reflect comparative costs in different markets or at different time periods in any market, so please treat the conclusions with caution.

In a primary care setting

AQUACEL^® dressing, in a protocol of care, achieved healing or substantial healing in over 75% of patients after just four weeks, less pain in use and on removal and fewer dressing changes compared to baseline in patients that had previously been managed with other dressings²

A multi-center trial in 1,805 patients compared AQUACEL^® dressing (covered with DuoDERM^® Extra Thin, gauze or nothing) to previous dressing regimens which included gauze (44%), hydrocolloid dressings (20%) and alginates, foams PU films plus other dressings (36%) over 4 weeks

The results for AQUACEL^® dressing comparing baseline to 4 weeks post treatment were as follows:

• BaselineAfter 4 weeks
• Average wound area – 31cm78.3% achieved healing or substantial improvement
• <80% moderate to heavily exuding wounds with 39.6% having macerationMaceration reduced to 12%
• 5 dressing changes per week3.9 dressing changes after the first week reducing to 2.9 on average 58% thought that dressing changes were easier
• 53% experienced pain at dressing change before the start of the study11.4% experienced pain at dressing change
• 44.5% had actual wound pain at week 112.7% had actual wound pain
• 38.6% detected wound odour12.4% detected wound odour

In surgical wounds

AQUACEL^® dressing under Tegaderm™ in patients having undergone orthopaedic surgery was 5.8 times more likely to result in a wound with no complications as compared to Cutiplast™ (p<0.00001)³

A prospective, randomized, controlled trial of 183 patients with total hip or knee replacement or an operation for a fractured neck of femur compared AQUACEL^® dressing under Tegaderm™ against Cutiplast™

• Wounds managed with AQUACEL^® dressing were 5.8 times more likely to heal without complications (p<0.00001)
• Patients managed with AQUACEL^® dressing had significantly lower pain scores (p<0.001)
• Patients managed with AQUACEL^® dressing had significantly fewer dressing changes (p=0.03)*^†

* The decision to change a wound dressing was based on the clinical judgment of the nursing staff on the orthopedic wards, and so some dressings may have been changed prematurely or left too long.

^† The study was not blinded to the nurses as the dressings used look very different.

In surgical wounds

The Jubilee method is a highly effective, cost-saving technique following elective primary total hip and knee arthroplasty⁴

A prospective, randomized, controlled trial in 428 patients undergoing primary elective total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) compared Jubilee method (AQUACEL^® dressing under DuoDERM^® Extra thin), against standard* method (AQUACEL^® dressing covered with Mepore™)

* Standard is dressing regime utilized by Jubilee hospital

Patients managed with the Jubilee method had a significantly lower blister rate, a lower incidence of delayed discharge, a longer wear time, fewer dressing changes, and a lower surgical site infection rate and greater cost effectiveness vs. those managed with AQUACEL^® dressing covered with Mepore™

• Reduced surgical site infections 0.8% vs. 3.2% (p=0.03)
• Reduced blisters1.6% vs. 18.3% (p<0.0001)
• Reduced delayed discharge1.2% vs. 4.8% (p=0.02)
• Increased wear time3.7 days vs. 2.3 days (p<0.0001)
• Reduced dressing changes1.5 vs. 3.2 (p<0.0001)
• Reduced complications at day seven97% no complications vs. 78% (p<0.0001)
• Lower total cost*$75.15 vs. $186.34

*Cost comparisons are based on cost data from the United Kingdom in 2007, converted into US dollars. Cost data may not accurately reflect comparative costs in different markets or at different time periods in any market; accordingly the cost comparisons should be disregarded outside the United Kingdom.