DRESSING CHOICE BY WOUND APPEARANCE

Wound Depth
Wound Type Goal Superficial Cavity
(color/degree of
exudates
Black/Low Exudate Rehydrate/debride Hydrogel Hydrogel
Hydrocolloid Hydrocolloid
Gauze Gauze
Enzyme Enzyme
Yellow/High Exudate Remove slough Hydrocolloid Hydrocolloid (paste,
Control exudates Exudate granules, powder)
Absrobers Exudate, absorbers
Enzymes
Foam cavity dressings
Yellow/Low Exudate Remove slough Hydrogel Hydrocolloid (paste,
Control exudates Hydrocolloid granules, powder)
Enzymes Hydrogel
Film Gauze
Gauze Enzymes
Foam cavity dressings
Red/High Exudate Absorb exudates, Foams Hydrocolloid (paste,
maintain moist Hydrocolloid granules, powder)
environment, promote Exudate Exudate, absorbers
granulation and Absorber Foam cavity dressings
epithelialization
Red/Low Exudate Maintain moist Hydrogel Hydrocolloid (paste,
environment, promote Hydrocolloid granules, powder)
granulation and (thin) Hydrogel
epithelialization Enzymes Foam cavity dressings
Film
Non-adherent
Pink/High Exudate Absorb exudates, Foams
maintain moist Hydrocolloid
environment, promote Exudate
granulation and Absorbers
epithelialization
Pink/Low Exudate Maintain moise Hydrogel
environment, promote Hydrocolloid
granulation and (thin)
epithelialization Film
Non-adherent