title: A multicentre clinical evaluation of Cuticell Contact silicone wound contact layer in daily practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate clinically the performance of Cuticell Contact, a silicone-based primary contact wound dressing.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Primary contact dressings that allow removal of exudate while protecting the wound bed during dressing changes are a key tool in wound management. Silicone dressings are of particular interest owing to their excellent conformability, pain-free dressing changes, and low toxicity. Cuticell Contact is a silicone-based wound dressing thought to provide these desirable benefits.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this evaluation, 38 patients with 40 wounds of a variety of aetiologies and anatomical locations managed with Cuticell Contact and secondary dressings were observed in 8 centres across Germany and the Netherlands. The observation period ranged from 2-42 days (mean 21 days, median 18 days). At the end of the observation, Cuticell Contact was evaluated for permeability to exudate, nonadherence to the wound bed, pain at dressing change, and overall performance. The condition of the wound bed, wound surface area, and levels of exudate were recorded at baseline, at each dressing change, and at the end of the evaluation, along with the condition of the wound edge and peri-wound skin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Wounds managed with Cuticell Contact showed improvement in the wound bed as evidenced by an increase in wounds with complete granulation from 12.5% (n=40) to 26.5% (n=34), and wounds with partial or complete epithelialisation from 35% to 82.4%. Cuticell Contact was assessed at the end of the evaluation as nonadherent to the wound in 91.2% of cases (n=34), and 93.3% of dressing changes (n=104) were deemed pain free. Wound surface area decreased by a mean of 19.9%. Cuticell Contact was rated satisfactory for permeability to wound exudate in 82.4% of responses and overall satisfaction with the dressing performance was also 82.4%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cuticell Contact is a soft silicone dressing that is easy to use, efficacious in supporting wound healing through protecting the wound bed, and facilitates atraumatic dressing changes.
authors.affiliation: Nurse Lead, Day Clinic/Wound Centre, Municipal Hospital, Munich Schwabing, Germany.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suess-Burghart
authors.affiliation: Tissue Viability Nurse, Scheper Hospital, Emmen, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zomer
authors.affiliation: Scientific Advisor, BSN Medical GmbH, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Dorte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schwanke
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D009779:Occlusive Dressings; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012828:Silicones; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D012828:Silicones
keywords: Dressing; Exudates; Granulation tissue; Pain measurement; Silicones