Effectiveness of a high capillary dressing on the healing of chronic wounds

Chronic wounds are lesions that do not progress adequately toward healing due to factors such as persistent inflammation, infection, bacterial biofilms, or associated diseases. They represent a significant public health problem due to their high prevalence, economic burden, and the deterioration of quality of life. In recent years, high capillary action dressings have emerged as a therapeutic alternative to improve exudate control and promote an optimal wound healing environment.

To evaluate the effectiveness of a high-capillary action dressing in reducing wound surface area after 21 days in chronic wounds.

A prospective observational study was conducted involving adult patients with hard-to-heal wounds of varying etiologies, recalcitrant to standard therapy for at least four weeks. Participants were followed for 21 days, with clinical assessments performed at baseline and on days 7, 14, and 21. Wound surface area (WSA) was quantified using ImageJ software. Secondary outcomes, including pain, clinical signs of infection, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), were evaluated through validated instruments: the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), NERDS/STONES criteria, Wound-QoL-17, and EQ-5D-5L. A standardized wound care protocol utilizing a high-capillary action dressing was maintained throughout the study period.

A total of 27 patients were enrolled in the study. Most participants were classified as overweight or obese (85.1%), and venous leg ulcers (VLUs) represented the predominant etiology (67.9%), primarily localized to the lower leg (64.3%). At the conclusion of the 21-day follow-up, complete wound closure was achieved in 22.2% of the cohort, with an overall mean reduction in wound surface area (WSA) of 44.5%. Statistically significant improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were documented throughout the study period.

High-capillary action dressings (HCADs) may represent a promising therapeutic option for the management of hard-to-heal wounds. In this pilot study, their use was associated with reductions in wound surface area, pain, and clinical signs of infection, together with improvements in health-related quality of life. These findings suggest that HCADs may provide a practical intermediate option between conventional dressings and more advanced wound therapies. However, given the uncontrolled pilot design, these results should be interpreted with caution and confirmed in larger randomized controlled studies.