Following a comprehensive review, NICE’s Medical Technology Guidance has recommended Debrisoft pad (10x10cm), Debrisoft Lolly and Debrisoft pad (13x20cm), manufactured by Lohmann & Rauscher, as part of the management of acute or chronic wounds in the community.
The NICE committee behind the guidance concluded that using the Debrisoft family would improve speed of debridement, reduce costs and result in a reduction in nursing visits compared to saline and gauze, hydrogel and larvae.
Alison Schofield, Tissue Viability Clinical Nurse Specialist at North Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust said:
As a tissue viability specialist nurse supporting clinicians in best practice for wound assessment and management, we encourage the maintenance of the optimum wound bed environment and with that preparation is vital.
A simple effective intervention for this is the Debrisoft pad along with the added benefit of the Debrisoft lolly. In our wound toolkit, Debrisoft is an essential item for chronic wound care aiding mechanical debridement. Having evidence based NICE guidance ensures quality care is delivered.
Guest et al (2015) estimated that 2.2 million wounds are managed by the NHS each year at an annual cost of £5.3 million. However, the cost differed according to wound type, with chronic leg ulcers costing as much as £1.94 billion to manage each year (Guest et al 2016).
The Debrisoft pad is estimated to be cost saving for complete debridement compared with other debridement methods. When compared with hydrogel, gauze and bagged larvae, cost savings per patient (per complete debridement) are estimated to be £99, £154 and £373 respectively in a community clinic, and £213, £292 and £277 respectively in the home. NICE concluded that there was cost savings to the NHS for the other two variations of the product (Debrisoft Lolly and Debrisoft 13x20cm).
Geraldine Weale, Nursing Sister, ATU/OPD, Deeside Community Hospital said that:
Having used Debrisoft for a number of years now it is an essential product in our “Toolbox” and is very much part of our daily dressing routine. We have used all of the Debrisoft range from the lollipop to the larger size with excellent debridement results especially on areas with hyperkeratosis. Using Debrisoft made us realise the importance of not only wound cleansing but the peri wound skin and certainly brought about a change of practice.
The NICE committee also said that the Debrisoft pad is convenient and easy to use as well as being well tolerated by patients.
Rob Lister, Consultant Dermatologist at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, North Wales said that:
I am pleased to hear that the Debrisoft range has retained a positive NICE guidance. I have found Debrisoft to be very useful for removing soft but clingy slough from wounds. It is very quick and convenient to use, and is very well tolerated by patients.
NICE first recommended the use of Debrisoft pad (10x10cm) in its medical technologies guidance in 2014 and the guidance has been under review since the beginning of 2018.
The Debrisoft range (L&R Medical UK) are sterile and single-use monofilament debridement devices intended for nurses and other healthcare professionals to use on adults and children to remove devitalised tissue, debris, and hyperkeratotic skin around acute or chronic wounds.
Read the full NICE guidance on Debrisoft monofilament debridement pad.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for driving improvement and excellence in the health and social care system. It develops guidance, standards and information on high-quality health and social care. It also advises on ways to promote healthy living and prevent ill health.