[Dermatological dressing].

BACKGROUND: Topical negative-pressure therapy is a widely used wound management system that generates a negative pressure at the wound surface through a foam pad, which aids in wound stimulation through mechanical forces on the wound bed. System guidelines state that the foam dressing should be placed in direct apposition with the wound surface; however, an interface dressing is often inserted at this point to promote comfort at dressing changes. METHODS: Topical negative-pressure dressings were applied to 40 healthy volunteers. Pressures at the skin surface under the dressing were recorded and compared with those measured by a topical negative-pressure machine using the Therapeutic Regulated Accurate Care pad system. These were repeated, inserting different types of interface dressings: petroleum jelly (Vaseline)-impregnated gauze, nonadherent silicone dressing, and mylar polyester film dressing. RESULTS: Pressures recorded at the skin interface with no interface dressing were close to those set on the topical negative-pressure machine (mean pressure change, -5.11 +/- 0.55 mmHg). Interposition of dressings at the skin/foam interface affected pressure transmission through the foam, and some caused significant decreases in pressures recorded at the skin surface (e.g., Vaseline-impregnated gauze: mean pressure change, -11.76 mmHg; maximum pressure change, -41 mmHg). CONCLUSION: The loss in negative pressure means that pressures designated by the machine cannot be relied on as a measure of wound pressure when certain dressings are used at the interface. This could be important in determining the outcome of some wounds under topical negative-pressure therapy treatment.

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PubMed2005

Wonder or fake - investigations in the case of the stigmatisation of Therese Neumann von Konnersreuth.

We investigated two compresses used by Therese Neumann (T.N.), a woman who lived from 1898 until 1962 in Konnersreuth, Germany. The compresses were soaked with blood during the appearance of stigmata on T.N.'s body on a Friday. T.N. became very popular among the faithful in Germany at this time. The question was whether this blood was from T.N. herself or from a family relative or an animal. The comparison of the HV1 and HV2 mtDNA sequence obtained from the compresses with the sequences from a reference sample from a maternally related niece of T.N. revealed an identity. Furthermore, we obtained a short tandem repeat (STR) profile from the bloodstains that were identical with the STR profile from a gummed envelope. The envelope contained a letter written by T.N. in the 1930s. Therefore, our investigations gave no indication for any manipulation.

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