The cost and efficacy of two wound treatments.

Using the physiology of moist wound healing as the framework, this nonexperimental, retrospective chart review compared the rate of wound healing and cost of wound care associated with wet-to-dry normal saline gauze dressings to the rate of wound healing and cost of wound care associated with amorphous hydrogel dressings for patients with infrainguinal arterial disease and diabetes. These patients were discharged from the hospital to home care for management of perioperative arterial surgical wound dehiscence and nonhealing ulcerations. The sample included 25 patients who used wet-to-dry normal saline gauze dressings and 25 patients who used amorphous hydrogel dressings. Repeated measures of analysis of covariance revealed a similar rate of wound healing in the two groups. The overall cost of wound care was significantly higher (P = .006) for patients in the normal saline group, with a higher number and cost of home nursing visits. The cost of supplies was not significantly different between groups, although amorphous hydrogel dressings cost an average of dollar 50 more than wet-to-dry normal saline gauze dressings. The two treatments are equally efficacious in promoting wound healing, but amorphous hydrogel dressings are significantly more cost effective and, thus, a better value for the home care dollar.