Clinical Case Study - Hyperkeratosis on Leg - Mepi™ Debripad

Clinical Challenge

To afford thorough but gentle mechanical debridement of hyperkeratosis to improve the condition and appearance of the skin whilst maintaining patient comfort and improving quality of life.

Patient and Wound History

• 51-year-old obese male; prescribed weight-loss medication.
• Medical history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, anaemia, cellulitis, and lower extremity ulcers.
• Recurring hyperkeratosis on the right lower anterior leg; present for 6 months.
• The patient was psychologically affected by the ongoing condition of his leg and had become very withdrawn. He found mechanical debridement difficult to tolerate, limiting the extent of treatment that could be performed in a single session to facilitate the healing process.

Intervention and Treatment Regime

• Mepi™ Debripad (intervention), a microfibre pad selected for its fast, safe, and low-pain debridement of hyperkeratotic skin.
• The area was cleansed with an emollient wash and Mepi™ Debripad was used to mechanically debride the areas of hyperkeratosis from the skin.
• After debridement, wrap bandaging was used to dress the debrided skin.
• Debridement was performed twice weekly.

Debridgement Procedure
	Before	After
Affected area	Intact skin with 30% hyperkeratosis; severe dryness and fissures	Intact skin with 5% hyperkeratosis; low dryness and fissures
Pain severity prior to dressing change - 0 Pain severity during cleansing - 0 Pain severity during debridement - 0

Clincian's Perspective

The patient responded exceptionally well to Mepi™ Debridpad. He described it as soft, gentle, and far more comfortable than any technique used before, which immediately helped reduce his anxiety around treatment. This positive experience not only made the procedure easier for him to endure but also noticeably improved his confidence. The simplicity and softness of the pad meant he felt safe and in control, and with encouragement from the clinical team, he began to feel able to participate in his own care. This patient’s quality of life was improved, and the meaningful impact on his morale and helped him engage more positively with his treatment going forward.

Tracy Bond Practice Nurse, Shakespeare Road Medical Practice, Basingstoke, UK

^{Acknowledgement: This case study report has been prepared by Mölnlycke’s Global Medical Affairs team and is distributed with permission of the responsible clinician.}