5D Health Protection Group limited

multi award winning microbiology laboratory

Sectors | Wound Care

Wound Care

Chronic wounds are colonised with a community of microorganisms found within a biofilm which causes a delay in healing and increases infection risk. It is very important that you partner with an organisation that are leading experts in this field. 5D have over 20 years of experience in wound dressing innovation, development and the most robust and diverse scientific testing services. Our testing supports all organisations including startups, spin-offs and multinational companies who innovate, design and develop advanced wound care products.

Our testing experience includes working with:

  • Wound dressing materials and biomaterials including alginates, gauzes, carboxymethylcellulose, chitosan, collagens, superabsorbants, hydrogels, polyurethane foams, hydrocolloids
  • Topical wound agents including wound irrigating solutions and antimicrobial solutions
  • Dressing removal agents - including agents to remove adhesives
  • Non-antimicrobial and antimicrobial-based dressings and technologies
  • Debriding and Desloughing technologies including enzymes and agents that enhance autolytic debridement
  • Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) devices.
Global Experts with 28 Years Experience in Woundcare, Microbiology, Infections and Biofilms

5D Woundcare Testing Experience

We have over two decades of experience in the innovation, development and evaluation of many wound technologies. Some examples of the technologies 5D do testing on include:

  • Wound dressings - absorbent and superabsorbant dressings, antimicrobial dressings
  • Wound contact layers including adhesives - acrylics, silicones, hydrogels and polyurethanes
  • Topical wound agents such as hydrogels, ointments, lotions, creams
  • Dressing removal agents 
  • Non-antimicrobial and antimicrobial-based non-adherent and adherent dressings
  • Wound-irrigating solutions 
  • Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) and ultrasonic devices
  • Cold plasma devices
  • Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) modulating dressings
  • Debriding and desloughing technologies such as pads, wipes and enzyme systems
  • Tissue sealing devices i.e. cyanoacrylates
  • Antibiofilm and bacterial binding technologies
A High Quality Service Supported By Precision and Scientific Excellence

5D Customised Test Methods

5D offer a large number of different customised models and tests for evaluating wound care products and technologies. These include as examples:

  • Skin and reconstituted skin models eg EpiDerm™
  • Direct and intimate contact dressings testing
  • Microbiological test and models - please see our microbiology section
  • Shake-flask assays
  • Bacterial and viral barrier testing
  • Antibiofilm testing (please see our biofilms sections)
    • MBEC models; Centers Disease Control (CDC) biofilm reactor models adapted for testing wound dressings based on ASTM E2871 and ASTM E2562; Drip flow reactor models adapted for testing wound dressings based on ASTM E2647; Porcine skin explant drip flow models based on ASTM E2647
  • Wicking - vertical and lateral
  • Wound dressing absorbency testing
  • Moisture Vapour Transfer Rate (MVTR) models and testing
  • MMP modulation and evaluation testing using ELISA techniques
  • Dressing material strength testing – wet and dry
  • Peel force testing
  • Measuring ionic silver release levels using biosensor technology.
We Offer More Than Just A Scientific Support Service

Standard Test Methods

We are able to offer a large number of many different standard test methods and models that are required by our customers. A few examples of a number of test methods are shown below:

  • AATCC Test Method 100: Antibacterial Finishes on Textile Materials or Modified AATCC Test Method 100 or AATCC Test Method 147: Antibacterial Activity Assessment of Textile Materials.
  • BS EN ISO 11737-1: Sterilisation of Medical devices. Microbiological Methods. Determination of a population of microorganisms on products (Bioburden).
  • BS EN 13726-1: Test methods for primary wound dressings. Aspects of absorbency: Free swell absorption, fluid retention and absorption under a fixed load.
  • BS EN 13726-2: Test methods for primary wound dressings. Moisture vapour transmission rate (MVTR) of permeable film dressings. Section 3.2: Moisture Vapour Transmission Rate – In contact with vapour or Test methods for primary wound dressings. Moisture vapour transmission rate of permeable film dressings. Section 3.3: Moisture Vapour Transmission Rate – In contact with liquid.
  • BS EN 13726-3 and 13726-4: Test methods for primary wound dressings. Waterproofness and Conformability.
We are an independent resource for our clients  - We are strategically minded, market shapers adding value to your brands.

Other 5D Customised Test Methods

We are able to offer a large number of other customised and standard test methods and models which are specific to a customers needs. Many of our customers have very bespoke and customised needs that we can fully accommodate. Some examples of method we have adapted for customers include:

  • BS EN ISO 20743:Textiles, Determination of antibacterial activity of antibacterial finished products.
  • BS EN IS0 20645: Textile fabrics. Determination of antibacterial activity. Agar diffusion plate test.
  • ASTM E2149: Standard Test Method for determining the antimicrobial activity of immobilised antimicrobial agents under dynamic contact conditions.

Other customised methods and tests include:

  • Direct contact dressings testing (Gallant-Behn et al 2005).
  • CDC biofilm reactor model adapted for testing wound dressings.
  • Drip flow reactor model adapted for testing wound dressings.
  • Porcine skin explant drip flow model.
  • Advanced wound eschar-slough model

Test and Model Development

5D provide test method and method validation services. We can offer a wide variety of different scientific testing models, assays and methods. For further information on different models and methods please see our different pages found in our scientific services sections.

For example we developed very specific models  for customers such as the fluorescent advanced wound eschar model (fAWE). This is a very reproducible model which can be used to assess the performance of antimicrobial based wound dressings in a more realistic wound environment that contains collagen, elastic and fibrin which are components of slough and eschar.

We have also advanced this model further to include the evaluation of biofilms in artificial slough and eschar. This model can to be used to evaluate the efficacy of deriding and desloughing technologies and determine antibiofilm performance in a more advanced model applicable to sloughy and necrotic wounds with biofilms (bAWE).

If you have a requirement for a new test or for the development of a new model to assess the novel properties of your medical device, wound dressing or technology, please contact 5D to discuss.

To discuss all your scientific testing needs in the wound care sector please contact us at info@5Dhpg.com or call on +44 (0) 151 794 9279. 

Customer Testimonials

  • "We have found 5D Health Protection very informative and responsive to the work proposals, questions and final data. 5D Health were very helpful and clear in their support and advice throughout the study"
  • "5D provided an excellent service regarding product evaluation, consultancy and education"
  • "If anybody is looking to begin working with biofilms, they need to look at this course. It is run by top notch people, and they make it fun"
  • "Excellent communication of timelines"
  • “Always happy to discuss test methods and results with us”
  • “All testing was conducted as agreed, clear and professional report supplied”
  • "Very quick response to the initial request. Very professional and helpful advice to the requested studies. Very Supportive staff"
  • "If not for this course, we would likely never be able to get our lab up and running in a timely manner. This was a HUGE time saver in the long run"

5D Accomplishments, Partnerships and Collaborations

  • Bradford Logo
  • Cardiff University

Address

5D Health Protection Group Ltd

Accelerator Building
1 Daulby Street
Liverpool
L7 8XZ
United Kingdom

Contact

+44 (0) 151 702 9492

General Enquiries:

info@5dhpg.com

Finance:

finance@5dhpg.com

Sales and Marketing:

sales@5dhpg.com

Data Protection Officer:

martin.crowe@5dhpg.com