A comparison of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of two methods of managing pressure ulcers.

Abstract

To compare the efficacy and the cost-effectiveness of moist gauze dressings and a hydrocolloid wafer dressing (DuoDERM CGF), 70 patients with 97 pressure ulcers that were stage II and/or stage III were randomly assigned to one of two treatment methods: moist gauze dressings or hydrocolloid dressings. Efficacy was defined as the number of ulcers that completely healed. In this debilitated, poorly nourished group of patients, one ulcer completely healed in the moist gauze dressing group, and 11 healed in the hydrocolloid group. The per diem cost of the moist gauze dressing was $12.26; the per diem cost of the hydrocolloid dressing was $3.55.