Evaluation of a Switchable Acrylic Adhesive Drape for Safer Removal in Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Applications.

Description

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is widely used for chronic and acute wounds, severe burns, and post-operative care. Despite its benefits, the strong adhesive required to maintain an airtight seal increases the risk of medical adhesive-related skin injuries (MARSI), pain, and discomfort during removal. Global Biomedical Technologies (GBT) aims to develop an NPWT drape with "switchable adhesive" technology to enhance removal while maintaining an effective seal. This innovation is expected to benefit both single-use and serial-use NPWT applications by reducing MARSI and improving patient comfort. This project will compare the functionality and acceptability of Comfort Release® NPWT drapes with the industry-standard V.A.C. drape (KCI Technologies, Inc.) in a non-blinded randomized controlled trial. Specific Aims Aim 1: Compare Comfort Release® drapes with V.A.C. drapes in single-use NPWT applications in post-surgical patients (n=200) at Columbia University Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical Center. Milestones: Demonstrate statistically significant (α=0.05) improvement over V.A.C. drapes in: Reduction of MARSI (Medical Adhesive-Related Skin Injury scoring system) Decreased pain (Indiana Polyclinic Combined Pain Scale) Reduced need for pain/anxiety medication Equivalent or improved seal effectiveness (leak incidence rate) Clinician acceptability Aim 2: Compare Comfort Release® drapes with V.A.C. drapes in serial-use NPWT applications in chronic wound patients (n=100) at Weill Cornell Medical Center. Patients will undergo three NPWT drape changes per week. Milestones: Demonstrate statistically significant (α=0.05) improvement over V.A.C. drapes in: Reduction of MARSI Decreased pain (Indiana Polyclinic Combined Pain Scale) Improved compliance with treatment duration Reduced need for pain/anxiety medication Equivalent or better seal effectiveness Clinician acceptability (questionnaire score \>4) Reduced nursing time by ≥20% Economic value through time and cost savings At each dressing change and final removal, qualitative data from clinicians will assess the acceptability and usability of Comfort Release® NPWT drapes.

Conditions

Frequency and Type of Medical Adhesive-Related Skin Injury, NPWT Drape Seal Effectiveness Rate (or Leak Incidence Rate), Clinician Acceptability of New NPWT Drape, Patient Drop-out Rate From Prescribed NPWT Treatment, Pain Assessment During Medical Adhesive Drape Removal

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is widely used for chronic and acute wounds, severe burns, and post-operative care. Despite its benefits, the strong adhesive required to maintain an airtight seal increases the risk of medical adhesive-related skin injuries (MARSI), pain, and discomfort during removal. Global Biomedical Technologies (GBT) aims to develop an NPWT drape with "switchable adhesive" technology to enhance removal while maintaining an effective seal. This innovation is expected to benefit both single-use and serial-use NPWT applications by reducing MARSI and improving patient comfort. This project will compare the functionality and acceptability of Comfort Release® NPWT drapes with the industry-standard V.A.C. drape (KCI Technologies, Inc.) in a non-blinded randomized controlled trial. Specific Aims Aim 1: Compare Comfort Release® drapes with V.A.C. drapes in single-use NPWT applications in post-surgical patients (n=200) at Columbia University Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical Center. Milestones: Demonstrate statistically significant (α=0.05) improvement over V.A.C. drapes in: Reduction of MARSI (Medical Adhesive-Related Skin Injury scoring system) Decreased pain (Indiana Polyclinic Combined Pain Scale) Reduced need for pain/anxiety medication Equivalent or improved seal effectiveness (leak incidence rate) Clinician acceptability Aim 2: Compare Comfort Release® drapes with V.A.C. drapes in serial-use NPWT applications in chronic wound patients (n=100) at Weill Cornell Medical Center. Patients will undergo three NPWT drape changes per week. Milestones: Demonstrate statistically significant (α=0.05) improvement over V.A.C. drapes in: Reduction of MARSI Decreased pain (Indiana Polyclinic Combined Pain Scale) Improved compliance with treatment duration Reduced need for pain/anxiety medication Equivalent or better seal effectiveness Clinician acceptability (questionnaire score \>4) Reduced nursing time by ≥20% Economic value through time and cost savings At each dressing change and final removal, qualitative data from clinicians will assess the acceptability and usability of Comfort Release® NPWT drapes.

Surgical Drape With an Atraumatic Acrylic Adhesive for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy

Evaluation of a Switchable Acrylic Adhesive Drape for Safer Removal in Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Applications.

Condition
Frequency and Type of Medical Adhesive-Related Skin Injury
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

New York

Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, United States, 10032

New York

Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York, United States, 10065

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • 1. 18 years or older post-surgical inpatients with a plan of treatment using NPWT
  • 2. Able to communicate and consent to participation in the study
  • 3. Access to V.A.C. by KCI drape and NPWT kits
  • 4. Able to report pain level using a pain scale.
  • 1. History of known hypersensitivity to acrylic adhesives
  • 2. History of known hypersensitivity to isopropyl alcohol
  • 3. NPWT treatment within past 3 months
  • 4. The patient is expected to be unconscious during the drape removal/change
  • 5. Under the age of 18 years 6. Unable to give consent, including language barrier, unless an interpreter is readily available.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Global Biomedical Technologies, LLC,

Howard S Rosing, MD, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Global Biomedical Technologies, LLC

Study Record Dates

2026-09-15