The study presented is a multicentric, prospective, open and comparative study designed with the objective of evaluating the performance of an antibacterial
hydrocolloid dressing with hydroactivated
silver (
Comfeel Plata), when used to activate the healing process in
wounds with high bacterial load, clinical signs of
infection or malodour. Additionally, once the
wound bed was appropriately prepared, a comparison in terms of efficacy was made between, on the one hand, continued treatment with the antibacterial
hydrocolloid dressing, and, on the other hand, continued treatment with other dressings specifically designed for the proliferative phase of healing. Included into this study were 43 patients with chronic
ulcers who were divided into two parallel treatment groups: In one group,
Comfeel Plata (Coloplast AIS) was used until complete wound healing or for a maximum of 10-12 weeks, and in the second group
Comfeel Plata (Coloplast A/S) was used until a clean
wound bed was obtained and until the
wound showed signs of positive evolution, at which moment the treatment was continued until complete healing or for a maximum of 10-12 weeks with dressings without
silver designed especially for the proliferative phase of healing [Alione,
Comfeel or Biatain (Coloplast AIS)]. The results obtained from the various study parameters indicate that the use of
Comfeel Plata in the treatment of infected or colonized
wounds prepares the
wound bed and facilitates more rapid healing, and that the use of
Comfeel Plata effectively reduces
pain and malodour. The results indicate that once a clean
wound bed is obtained, the use of a dressing without
silver specifically for the proliferative phase will facilitate healing.