ABSTRACT
The second aspect of the design of dressings, following on from the choice of base material, is the form or structure the raw materials are processed into, and whether this is in single- or multi-component systems. These determine much of the physical properties of the dressing and how they can be used in a specific treatment or therapy. The characteristics of the main structural forms of materials used or intended for wound dressings are discussed in this chapter, including textiles (nonwovens, woven, knitted, spacer fabrics and nanofibres), foams, hydrogels, films and hydrocolloids. How these different forms can be used in wound management, and how they can be used in specific therapies and with additional technologies for advanced wound care are also discussed. In this context, this chapter also outlines the application of compression by textile materials for venous insufficiency and scar management, materials for negative pressure wound therapy, electroceutical dressings, and dressings with sensors and actuators.
