title: Is the use of modern versus conventional wound dressings warranted after primary knee and hip arthroplasty? Results of a Prospective Comparative Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This prospective, open, non-controlled clinical investigation evaluated the performance of a modern post-operative wound dressing versus conventional dressings used on wounds of patients after undergoing hip or knee replacement.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical investigation started with a two-week observation phase of conventional wound dressings, followed by an intervention phase where patients were treated with Mepilex® Border Post-Op dressings. The primary objective was to evaluate the occurrence of blisters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no blistering in any of the patients in the Mepilex group (n = 49), whereas blistering occurred in 27.3% (n = 3) of patients in the conventional group (n =  11, p < 0.01). The Mepilex dressing was left on for seven days in 70% of patients. There was a significant reduction in the total cost for dressing changes with the Mepilex dressings (p = 0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By using Mepilex dressings, the risk of blistering was negated and the reduced frequency of dressing changes was associated with the reduced overall cost. Therefore, we recommend the use of Mepilex Border Post-Op dressings.
authors.forename: Kourosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zarghooni
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bredow
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siewe
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Deutloff
authors.forename: Heiko Stefan
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lohmann
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001458:Bandages; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome