Flivasorb® and the management of exudate

The management of wound exudate requires the clinician to have an understanding of what it is, why it is present and how to monitor and assess it accurately (White and Cutting, 2006). Wound exudate was described as nature’s balsam many years ago (White and Cutting, 2006) and is the fluid produced by an open wound. It is derived from fluid that has leaked from capillaries into body tissues (World Union of Wound Healing Societies [WUWHS], 2007). Exudate is produced at varying levels throughout the lifetime of a wound (Cutting, 2009). It is a complex phenomenon that requires careful nursing management if it is to assist healing (Adderley, 2008). leucocytes and essential nutrients (Dowsett, 2008). In chronic wounds, there is a tendency for the inflammatory response (an important element in the initial wounding response) to become exaggerated (European Wound Management Association [EWMA], 2008). Chronic wound fluid therefore has a high level of inflammatory mediators and activated MMPs (WUWHS, 2007), which are more corrosive than acute wound fluid to the wound and the surrounding skin. As a consequence of this theory (Mast and Schultz, 1996), new dressings have been developed that are designed to reduce protease levels (Schultz et al, 2005).