Analysis of pressure achieved by various materials used for pressure dressings

BACKGROUND. TO minimize the risk of complications, pressure dressings are f requently applied to wounds. The actual pressures yielded by different dres sing materials and application techniques have not been documented. OBJECTIVE. TO measure and compare pressures produced using various types of dressing tapes with and without a gauze roll. METHODS An infant blood pressure cuff was adapted for use in a pressure dre ssing model. Investigators independently applied four strips of each of fiv e different types of tape to the cuff when it was located in three settings : a hard inanimate surface, a subject's distal volar forearm, and the subje ct's forehead. RESULTS. Foam and plastic tapes produced more pressure under a simple dress ing than three other commonly used tapes. Higher, more consistent pressures were achieved on the forearm than the forehead. Adding a gauze roll to the dressing consistently increased the pressure. CONCLUSION. The experimental model demonstrated substantial differences in pressures yielded by various pressure dressing materials.