Research shows that maintaining a moist wound environment is optimal to the healing process. To help manage moisture and promote autolytic debridement—the body’s way of getting rid of dead tissue and keeping healthy tissue—Medline Industries, Inc. has introduced  Opticell and Opticell Ag+ with silver, wound dressings that help create a moist healing environment and are gentle to the patient.

Opticell is the latest innovative product in Medline’s advanced wound care line. It can be used on wounds of all drainage levels and utilizes technology that allows fluids to wick vertically into the wound dressing, not across the wound, to help prevent maceration and maintain an optimal wound healing environment. When moistened, Opticell’s absorbent fibers transform into a conformable gel. This makes it possible to manage drainage and remove dead, damaged tissue.

“As a doctor, this product’s versatility is one of its greatest benefits,” says Sonja Lichtenstein, MD, regional director at Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth. “Opticell can be placed under a four layer wrap for a week without maceration of the surrounding skin. There’s also less drainage and it doesn’t stick to the wound bed, even as the wound heals.”

In a recent study, Opticell proved to be the most absorbent wound dressing compared to other similar products says the company. In addition, even after retaining moisture, Opticell maintains its original surface area and does not shrink significantly.

For clinicians seeking broad spectrum antimicrobial efficacy, the Opticell Ag+ dressings contain ionic silver. When the dressing encounters a wound environment, silver ions are activated to manage bioburden within the dressing. The silver manages bioburden resulting from bacteria without harming skin cells.

“We are committed to finding new and innovative solutions to help improve wound management and patient outcomes,” says Margaret Falconio-West, BSN, RN, APN/CNS, CWOCN, DAPWCA, senior vice president of clinical education at Medline. “Opticell’s gelling attributes help promote autolytic debridement and pain-free removal, two characteristics important to clinicians.”