Wound care presents various challenges, including controlling excessive exudate, preventing infections, managing non-healing wounds, and selecting the most effective dressing. Superabsorbent polymer (SAP) dressings offer a potential solution to several of these issues, as they are specifically designed to help regulate wound exudate levels while maintaining a moist healing environment (Wounds International, 2023; Trouth, 2024), ultimately supporting the wound healing process.
In addition to challenges in wound care, the NHS is grappling with rising costs, driven largely by increased hospital expenditures and staff shortages. The Independent Investigation of the NHS in England reports that hospital spending as a proportion of the NHS budget rose from 47% to 58% between 2006 and 2022 (Department of Health & Social Care, 2024).
Furthermore, between 2009 and 2023, the number of nurses working in the community declined by at least 5% (Department of Health & Social Care, 2024), resulting in fewer patient visits and greater pressure on remaining staff.
Fewer patient visits and a heavier workload for healthcare staff highlight the importance of efficient wound care, particularly in selecting the most suitable wound dressings. Choosing the right dressings can enhance healing outcomes, leading to faster recovery, lower treatment costs, and improved overall patient wellbeing (Britto et al, 2024).
What is RespoSorb®?
Previously launched in 2020 and known as Zetuvit® Plus Silicone and Zetuvit® Plus Silicone Border, RespoSorb® Silicone and RespoSorb® Silicone Border are a newly launched brand of silicone superabsorbent polymer (SSAP) dressings used in wound care offering a selection of 17 sizes (12 bordered and 5 non-bordered). This expanded selection is designed to address a wider variety of wound care needs.
What are MMPs and bacteria sequestration?
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are enzymes that degrade the extracellular matrix (ECM), which play a crucial role in tissue structure and repair. Balancing MMP activity is therefore critical in wound care management to promote effective healing.
MMPs are essential in multiple stages of wound healing, such as debridement, angiogenesis, and tissue remodelling (Kandhwal et al, 2022). While crucial for normal healing, elevated or prolonged MMP activity can inhibit wound closure and lead to a chronic wound (Schultz and Cullen, 2017).
Similarly, bacteria can hinder healing and contribute to the chronicity of a wound. Bacterial sequestration plays a role in removing bacteria and refers to the process where bacteria are trapped or isolated within a specific area or substance (e.g. within a wound dressing).
RespoSorb® Silicone and RespoSorb® Silicone Border work by binding and containing MMPs and bacteria that are often found in hard-to-heal wounds and that inhibit wound healing (Mikosiński et al, 2022). Research has shown that RespoSorb® Silicone Border is also able to bind and retain MMPs more effectively than comparable foam dressings (Data on file, 2024; Ball et al, 2025). Other benefits include:
Predicted better health outcomes and cost-effectiveness compared to foam dressings (Veličković et al, 2023)
Expected Quality of Life (QoL) improvement compared to standard of care (Veličković et al, 2022).
What is Wound Balance?
Wound Balance is a framework that aims to integrate various critical parameters by offering continuity, individualised care and supported clinical decision-making while placing the patient at the centre of all care (World Union of Wound Healing Societies [WUWHS], 2025).
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