Monoplace Delivery System

Monthly Hyperbaric Safety Notice: October 2007

Hydrofera Blue

Background

According to the 2005 edition of NFPA 99 Chapter 20.3.1.5.2.3 “Flammable liquids, gases, or vapors shall not be permitted inside any Class B chamber.” We have traditionally interpreted this to mean that we do not allow any items containing alcohol in the 100% oxygen-filled chamber due to the heightened fire risk.

The Issue

Hydrofera Blue is becoming a commonly used wound care product that we may see from time to time on our hyperbaric patients. It is an impregnated blue sponge-like dressing commonly used on patients with pyoderma gangrenosum and other chronic wounds. The initial concern with this dressing what the presence of ‘alcohol’ in this product. We located a MSDS sheet for Hydrofera Blue; one of the main ingredients listed is Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA). The MSDS for polyvinyl alcohol cites a flashpoint of 175°F and “explosion hazard is slight, in the form of dust when exposed to flame.” Further investigation with the company provided clarification. They take the PVA resin and solublize it in boiling water. The resulting slurry is then cross linked with formaldehyde and reacted with an acid catalyst to make the foam. The foam is then washed free of any impurities to create an extremely clean hydrophilic biocompatible sponge. The sponge is then immersed in a bath containing a very small amount of two germicidal dyes which become preferentially bound to the foam. The final product is a blue basteriostatic sponge. The base foam is Polyvinyl Formal (PVF) with a N/A flashpoint.

Additionally, the manufacturer for Hydrofera Blue has provided us with letters explaining the molecular origin of this particular class of organic alcohol.

Letter from Thomas J. Drury, Hydrofera Blue
Letter from Theodore L. Heying, Ph.D., Hydrofera Scientific Advisor
Hydrofera Material Safety Data Sheet

Bottom Line

Hydrofera Blue is not a volatile product and can be safely used in a 100% oxygen-filled hyperbaric chamber.

Stacy Handley, RN, BSN, ACHRN, CWCN

Stacy Handley Stacy is Vice President of National Baromedical Services. She assumed her present position following several years as nurse manager of the NBS hyperbaric medicine service at Memorial Hospital, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Stacy oversees the patient care aspects of the NBS network, conducts quality assurance and compliance assessments and preceptors all new NBS nurse managers. Additional responsibilities include marketing and promotion of NBS service lines and generation of monthly safety notices. Stacy is Member at Large for the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society Associates and a board member for the Baromedical Nurses Association. She has trained as a Hyperbaric Safety Director and a UHMS faculty accreditation surveyor, and is a graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina ‘Wound Care Specialty Course’ through which she obtained her wound care certification

Full Panel of Safety and Technical Correspondents

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