title: OPSITE Flexifix Gentle: preventing breakdown in vulnerable skin.
abstract: For decades, the intact skin of patients has been at risk of damage from exposure to pressure or friction from devices used to support their treatment while in hospital. Device-related skin injury is a common cause of skin breakdown in the acute hospital environment. The use of clinical devices exposes patients to repetitive friction and light pressure that, if not recognised early, can lead to skin breakdown. Compounding this challenge of protecting skin is the use of adhesive tape that can cause skin stripping. A new dressing product called OPSITE Flexifix Gentle (OFG) is now available on the market. This product may support friction relief in these critical areas and prevent skin stripping and pressure ulcer formation while maintaining moisture balance and a healthy skin environment. This product focus outlines the clinical benefits from this silicone-based film roll. The performance of the product on a 34-bed cardiothoracic intensive care unit will be reviewed through three case studies.
authors.affiliation: Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Downie
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gannon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology