Defining Wound Bed Conformability: Introducing the Relative Swelling Rise Test
Summary: A recent study in the Journal of Wound Care presents a novel, validated method—the Relative Swelling Rise (RSR) test—for measuring how well foam dressings conform to wound beds after absorbing fluid. Conducted by Mary R. Brennan, David H. Keast, Kimberly Bain, Mark Bain, Bo Lorentsen, and Nayla Ayoub, the methodology was independently replicated and validated to ensure reliability and clinical relevance.
Key Findings:
- The RSR test evaluates conformability by measuring the swelling height of foam dressings relative to a fixed-diameter aperture using circular fences to prevent lateral spread.
- Biatain Silicone foams tested using this method demonstrated average conformability ratios (α) between 0.30 and 0.60, with low variability (1–3%), indicating strong measurement reliability.
- This test provides a reproducible and objective way to benchmark wound dressing conformability—an important factor for promoting healing and potentially reducing treatment costs.
Conclusion: The RSR test offers clinicians and product developers a powerful new tool to quantify and compare foam dressing performance—moving beyond unverified claims and toward evidence-based selection for improved wound outcomes.
Keywords: wound bed conformability, Relative Swelling Rise test, foam dressings, Mary R Brennan, David H Keast, Kimberly Bain