The effect of a pressure-relieving wound dressing on the interface pressures applied to the trochanter.

A pressure-relieving dressing (PRD/Coloplast A/S, Denmark) was tested on 12 healthy volunteers to determine trochanteric and peritrochanteric interface pressures. Use of the PRD reduced the maximum pressure applied to the apex of the trochanter from a mean of 64.2 mm Hg to a mean of 52.2 mm Hg. The author speculates that this statistically significant difference may have clinical relevance for 79% of pressure ulcers in England and Wales but not for the 21% of pressure ulcers with cavities.