6 Conclusions

6 Conclusions

6.1 The Committee concluded that there is sufficient evidence to support the use of the Debrisoft pad in the debridement of wounds in a community setting. The Committee noted that the available evidence is mainly in adults with chronic wounds and accepted that there is little evidence specific to children or the debridement of acute wounds. The Committee also noted, from the limited available evidence, that the Debrisoft pad is particularly suited to the debridement of sloughy wounds with exudate and hyperkeratotic skin. There was some evidence that suggested that the Debrisoft pad is less successful in debriding wounds with black necrotic tissue and hard eschar. It concluded that the use of the Debrisoft pad in community clinic or home settings could lead to quicker debridement, fewer nurse visits and possibly less discomfort for the patient compared with other debridement methods.

6.2 The Committee considered that, although there is uncertainty in the cost model, the use of the Debrisoft pad could generate cost savings compared with hydrogel, gauze and larvae when used for debridement of appropriate wounds in both community clinic and home settings. The Committee concluded that overall, the case for adoption of the Debrisoft pad in the debridement of appropriate acute or chronic wounds in adults and children in a community setting was found to be supported by the evidence.

Peter Groves
Vice Chair, Medical Technologies Advisory Committee
March 2014

  • National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)