Measurement of pressure ulcer volume using dental impression materials: suggestion from the field.

Understanding of the healing rates of deep pressure ulcers may be enhanced in future studies by relating changes in wound volume to changes in WSA. In this report, a type of dental impression material, vinyl polysiloxane, was used to produce a model of the internal topography of a pressure ulcer. This model was used to obtain volumetric measurements of the wound cavity. A permanent replica (cast) of the wound was also fabricated. Further clinical trials investigating the reliability of this method for measuring the volume of deep pressure ulcers are indicated.