ALLEVYN Life

ALLEVYN Life dressing is a multi-layered design incorporating hydrocellular foam, hyper-absorber lock away core and masking layer which has been designed for people and their everyday life through: 

• Unique quadrilobe shape with a wide border designed to fit the contours of the human body more securely^1-2 and allows patients to shower^1-3
  
• The protective masking layer minimises the visual impact of strikethrough⁴(in-vitro), providing the patient with confidence that their dressing may not attract the negative attention of others
• Excellent fluid locking under pressure⁵ (in-vitro)
• Provides the patient with peace of mind leakage prevention⁵(in-vitro)
  
• Common wound odour absorption when tested (in-vitro) on representative compounds⁶
  
• ALLEVYN Life’s multi-layered design provides cushioning and helps to spread pressure⁷ (in-vitro)
• Silicone wound contact layer offers minimal pain and discomfort on removal⁸ while allowing the dressing to be repositoned⁹
  
• Change indicator optimises dressing change frequency¹⁰ and minimises wastage

Also Available in the ALLEVYN Life Range

ALLEVYN Life Sacrum has a unique tail designed specifically for wounds in the sacral area and fits around the cleft, to help overcome common problems such as the dressing tenting. The dressing has been designed following observational ethnographic research with patients and clinicians who have experience of sacral wounds.

ALLEVYN Life Heel has a unique design and is the only heel dressing to provide coverage to the malleolus without the need for secondary retention.  

Ordering Codes

References

1. Smith & Nephew data on file report OR-DOF 020 An open, prospective, randomised, comparative volunteer trial to compare the performance of silicone adhesive dressings. Mepilex^TM Border.
2. Smith & Nephew data on file report OR-DOF 041 An open, prospective, comparative volunteer trial to assess the retention qualities of ALLEVYN Life and Biatain^TM Silicone.
3. Smith & Nephew data on file report OR-DOF 011, Results from a multi-centre, non-comparative clinical in market evaluation of ALLEVYN Gentle Border dressing and from Open, prospective randomised, within volunteer comparison of Dakota and Mepilex Border in terms of showerproof and use on awkward areas. Hussein D; August 2010.
4. Smith & Nephew data on file report DS/12/129/DOF Simulated wound model testing of ALLEVYN Life and Mepilex Border.
5. Smith & Nephew data on file report DS/12/130/DOF Simulated wound model testing of ALLEVYN Life and Mepilex Border.
6. Data on File Report DS/12/127/DOF, June 2012. Roberts Sarah. Odour reducing properties of ALLEVYN Life.
7. Smith & Nephew data on file report DS/12/185/DOF Impact protection properties of ALLEVYN Life, Mepilex Border and Biatain Silicone.
8. Rossingtom A et al. Clinical performance and positive impact on patient wellbring of ALLEVYN Life. Wounds UK 2013, Vol 9, No. 4. 
9. Smith & Nephew Data on File. OR-DOF-001. Results from an open, prospective, randomised within volunteer comparison of ALLEVYN Gentle Border and Mepilex Border. Palmer S. and Smith G. November 2008
10. Stephen-Haynes et al., An apprasisal of the clinical performance and economic benefits of a silicone foam in a large UK Primary care organisation. Journal of Community Nursing 2013  

We conducted over 50 hours of in-depth interviews and observational sessions with patients and involved over 850 clinicians from around the world.

From this research we now know that complete wound care means far more than just physical healing, particularly to patients living with their wounds 24/7:

• Leakage, visible strikethrough and odour can be embarrassing and stigmatising ^1,2
• Poor cushioning from knocks and bumps can cause fear and pain ^1,2
• Dressings that don’t stay in place and fall off are highly frustrating ^1,2
• Frequent dressing changes and slow wound healing cause anxiety ^1,2

This inspired the development of ALLEVYN Life which is a multi-layered dressing incorporating hydrocellular foam, hyper-absorber lock away core and masking layer designed specifically for people and their everyday life.

Mode of Action

Discretion Layer for Patient Confidence

The masking layer minimises the visual impact of strikethrough³, providing the patient with confidence that their dressing may not attract the negative attention of others.

The masking layer acts as a change indicator which optimises dressing change frequency⁴ and minimises wastage.

Lock-away Layer Providing Patient Peace of Mind

In addition to its hydrocellular foam layer, ALLEVYN Life has a hyper-absorber lock away core providing excellent fluid locking under pressure⁵(in-vitro), absorbs common wound odours when tested (in-vitro) on representative compounds⁶ and provides the patient with peace of mind leakage prevention^5,  (in-vitro).

Cushioning Layer for Maximum Protection

ALLEVYN Life’s multi-layered design (hydrocellular foam, hyper-absorber lock away core and masking layer) provides cushioning and helps to spread pressure⁷ (in-vitro) so the patients can feel comforted that they are cushioned against everyday trauma.⁸

References

1. International consensus. Optimising wellbeing in people living with a wound. An expert working group. London: Wounds International, 2012.
2. Patient interviews: www.wellbeingwithawound.com/hcp/what-is-wellbeing.
3. Smith & Nephew data on file report DS/12/129/DOF Simulated wound model testing of ALLEVYN Life and Mepilex Border.
4. Stephen- Haynes et al., An appraisal of the clinical performance and economic benefits of a silicone foam in a large UK primary care organisation. Journal of Community Nursing 2013.
5. Smith & Nephew data on file report DS/12/130/DOF Simulated wound model testing of ALLEVYN Life and Mepilex Border.
6. Smith & Nephew data on file report DS/12/127/DOF Odour reducing properties of ALLEVYN Life.
7. Smith & Nephew data on file report DS/12/185/DOF Impact protection properties of ALLEVYN Life, Mepilex Border and Biatain Silicone^TM.
8. OR-DOF/024 - An open, prospective, randomised, volunteer trial to assess ALLEVYN Life. dressings in terms of volunteer’s perception of protection.

Clinical Performance and Positive Impact on Patient Wellbeing of ALLEVYN Life

ALLEVYN Life has been designed to incorporate specific dressing features designed to address key wound related issue of wellbeing. This article evaluates the clinical performance of ALLEVYN Life, as well as its ability to address the real life issues facing patients living with wounds, and assesses its impact on patient wellbeing.

Rossington et al. Wounds UK, November 2013, Vol 9, No 4

Download Rossington et al. Wounds UK, November 2013, Vol 9, No 4 Here (PDF: 863kb)

The Clinical Performance of a Silicone Foam in an NHS Community Trust

The NHS spends the majority of its budget on labour costs and it could be argued that frontline staff such as community nurses are the organisation’s most valuable resource. However, optimal wound care is dependent upon effective patient engagement, the application of clinical expertise and access to wound management products. The tension between increasing demands for services and the number of nurses is already causing problems in care provision as staff cuts and excessive workload inevitably endanger patient care. Enhancing efficiency through the use of innovative products will become essential in the future if nurses are to continue to provide expert care against a backdrop of cost-savings. This article details the appraisal process undertaken within Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust to investigates the in-practice clinical performance of a silicone foam dressing,  ALLEVYN Life.

Jackie Stephen-Haynes et al. Journal of Community Nursing, November 2013

Download Jackie Stephen-Haynes et al. Journal of Community Nursing, November 2013 Here (PDF: 394kb)

Improving Patient Wellbeing Through Dressing Choice

This webcast is introduced by Professor Keith Harding CBE, and includes presentations from Trudie Young and Tarnia Harrison. Tarnia Harrison, a tissue viability nurse specialist, talks about the importance of improving patient wellbeing through dressing choice and share some of her experience with using ALLEVYN Life.

To view the webcast click on the link below:

http://www.woundsinternational.com/videos/view/webcast-improving-patient-wellbeing-through-dressing-choice

Case Studies

ALLEVYN Life dressings provide wound management by secondary intention for:

• Shallow, granulating wounds
• Chronic and acute exudative wounds
• Full and partial thickness wounds such as pressure ulcers, leg ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers
• Malignant wounds
• Surgical wounds
• First and second degree burns
• Donor sites
• Skin tears 
• Fungating ulcers
• ALLEVYN Life may be used on infected wounds. Where the product is used on infected wounds, the wounds should be treated as per local clinical protocol.

Application

To apply ALLEVYN Life follow the steps below:

1. Cleanse the wound in accordance with local clinical protocol.
2. Select an appropriate dressing size.
3. Prepare and clean the skin surrounding the wound area and remove excess moisture. Any excess hair should be clipped to ensure close approximation to the wound.
4. Using a clean technique remove one of the protector films from ALLEVYN Life and anchor the adhesive side of the dressing to the skin. Smooth the dressing over the wound ensuring there are no creases. When positioning ALLEVYN Life Sacrum dressings, place the narrow end of the dressing a minimum of 2cm (3/4in.) above the anal sphincter, then smooth the dressing over the sacrum.
5. Remove the remaining protector film and smooth the dressing over the remainder of the wound without stretching, ensuring no creases. Only the pad area of the dressing must be adhered across the entire surface of the wound. 
6. ALLEVYN Life can be used to dress awkward areas such as elbows; the dressing corner lobes can be overlapped when positioning the dressing, ensuring no creasing or stretching occurs.

Application: Flat

Application: Joint

Application: Heel

Application: Sacrum

When to Change

Dressings can be left in place undisturbed for up to 7 days, except the sacral area where dressings can be left in place for up to 5 days, depending on the condition of the wound and the surrounding skin, or until exudate covers more than 50% of the absorbent pad outside of the central screen.

The above is guidance and the decision of when to change should be dependent upon clinical assessment and local protocols should also be taken into consideration.

If dressings are applied to the sacral area, due to the increased potential for contamination and infection in this area, increased monitoring of dressing adherence may be required as per local clinical protocols.

Dressing Removal

To remove ALLEVYN Life, lift the edge of the dressing and slowly peel back until completely removed from the wound. ALLEVYN Life Sacrum should be removed from the top edge down towards the anus to minimise the potential for faecal contamination.

Removal: Flat

Removal: Joint

Removal: Heel

Removal: Sacrum