It is well known that chronic and hard-to-heal wounds have created a global crisis. Delayed healing in these wounds is often associated with biofilm, and antimicrobial dressings can be effective in managing bioburden in chronic wounds.

For the use of antimicrobial advanced wound care dressings to be successful in chronic wound care, however, clinicians must have practical knowledge of dressing formats and options, dressing indications and applications, the principles of antimicrobial stewardship, and care planning for specific wound types. There are many antimicrobial wound care dressings on the market, and making a selection can be a challenge, even for licensed health care professionals.

Antimicrobial dressings are available in a variety of formats, including foams, alginates, gauzes, and more, and selecting the format most appropriate for your patient and their wound can make all the difference in wound healing. Goals in choosing an antimicrobial dressing should include preventing, addressing, and managing biofilm and bioburden. Evaluating different antimicrobial formats, including the antimicrobial agent incorporated, mode of delivery to the wounds, and dressing material, is essential for optimal overall healing outcomes in chronic and hard-to-heal wounds.

Learn More

Join me at WoundCon Fall on November 12th at 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time for my presentation, “How to Choose an Antimicrobial Wound Dressing: Questions to Ask and Factors to Consider.” I’ll be discussing why and when we use antimicrobial dressings, as well as examining the concept of cytotoxicity and what this means for wound treatment. Registration for WoundCon Fall 2021 is open now and is free for health care professionals, who can earn CME credits by attending. Register for free at www.woundcon.com.