There are a multitude of various dressings available. Which of the following statement(s) is/are true concerning options for surgical dressings?

a. Hydrocolloids, such as karaya compounds, offer the primary advantage of increased absorptive ability

d. Absorptive powders and paste are highly useful in debriding necrotic and fibrous material from wounds and absorbing wound serum

Although the simplest dressing of gauze and tape combined with the use of antibacterial ointment can achieve moist wound healing in most patients. A multitude of other products are available. These can be classified into films, foams, hydrocolloids, hydrogels, and absorptive powders. Films are semipermeable to water, generally made of polyurethane, and are nonabsorptive. They are useful to achieve a moist wound healing environment over a minimally exudative wound such as split thickness skin graft donor sites. The hydrocolloids deserve special mention because they have achieved widespread use. These agents contain hydrophilic materials such as karaya or carboxymethyl cellulose with an adhesive material and are covered by a semipermeable polyurethane film. The material adheres to the skin surrounding the wound, is highly absorptive, and achieves a moist healing environment. Impregnants are generally fine mesh gauze impregnated with either moisturizing, antibacterial, or bactericidal compounds. They are generally not adherent and require a secondary dressing. They do promote reepithelialization and have a antiinfective effect when combined with antibacterial or bactericidal agents. A variety of absorptive powders and pastes are available which consist of starch copolymers or colloidal hydrophilic particles. These agents have high absorbency for tissue wound fluid and debride necrotic and fibrous material from the wound.