Optimizing the composition of simulated wound fluid to mimic the physico-chemical properties of chronic wound exudate

Abstract

Chronic wounds pose a significant global health challenge, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Effective wound management necessitates the use of appropriate wound dressings that provides an optimal environment for wound healing. To accurately evaluate and test wound dressings, it is crucial to employ a test fluid that closely mimics the properties of chronic wound exudate. This study focused on the formulation and characterisation of a simulated wound fluid used for in vitro testing of wound dressings by optimising the composition of an existing simulated wound fluid (SWF A) and compared important physico-chemical parameters of the test liquid to a serum containing solution (SCS) as the reference solution. Prior studies had shown that the spreading patterns of SCS and SWF A differed, as SCS was forced towards the bottom border of the dressing material by gravitational forces, while SWF A spread more uniformely and did not reach the bottom border of the dressing. This study showed that the spreading behavior of the fluids depends on both capillary action and aggregation of the fluid proteins in the dressing material. A test fluid (SWF B) that mimics SCS in clinically relevant studies was achieved by optimising the composition of SWF A through altering the BSA content and addition of surfactant. Although SWF B does have the same protein content as SCS, further studies are needed to elucidate the effect of the detailed compositon on the properties and behavior of the test fluid. SWF B, however, mimicked the spreading behavior of SCS well enough to be a contestant for a new standardised test fluid that mimics the physico-chemical properties and spreading behavior of real chronic wound exudate.