Background: Blisters often form at the margins of post-operative dressings, most frequently encountered in the specialty of orthopaedics, and there have been many attempts to prevent them forming. After a spate of blistering on postoperative wounds on a gynaecology ward an opportunity arose to trial a new product, OpSite Post-Op, which may help to prevent blister formation.

Aims: The aim of the study was to compare the current traditional postoperative island dressing that was in use in the department with the new product to demonstrate if blistering could be reduced or resolved.

Methods: Hysterectomy patients were divided into two groups by dividing the patients according to their surgeon. One group was treated with OpSite Post-Op (trial) and the other with Mepore (control).

Results: Sixty-seven women were included in the study: 35 in the control cohort and 32 in the trial group. The results were very positive for the trial dressing as no blisters formed in this group whereas eight blisters formed in the control group.

Conclusions: The new dressing performed well and demonstrated that postoperative wounds need not have the unnecessary complication and discomfort of blistering at the margins.

Conflict of interest: Smith & Nephew provided dressings for the trial arm of the study.