Impact on pain control, epidermal stripping, leakage of wound fluid, ease of use, pressure reduction, and cost-effectiveness.

Selecting the "ideal dressing" for a wound is based on considerations of specific factors, including presence of necrotic tissue, bacterial load, volume of exudate, and the need for a bacterial barrier. Many dressings are now available, including hydrocellular foam dressings, that possess multiple characteristics of the ideal dressing. This article reviews the performance of hydrocellular foam dressings in terms of pain control, epidermal stripping, leakage of wound fluid, ease of use, pressure reduction, and cost-effectiveness.