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This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
A PolyMem wound dressing is a branded family of foam-type wound dressings made by Ferris Mfg. Corp. Each dressing is built around a hydrophilic polyurethane matrix that also carries a wound cleanser, a moisturizer and a superabsorbent, with a semi-permeable film backing (manufacturer description, polymem.com, checked 2026-11-01). Clinic staff, buyers and students use this page to see what the product line is, how its variants differ, and how the US device database classifies it.
What it is
PolyMem is a manufacturer brand, not a generic dressing category. The maker presents standard, silver, breast-pad and sports-wrap lines under the name, and lists wound types such as abrasions, diabetic ulcers, donor and graft sites, first- and second-degree burns, pressure ulcers, skin tears, surgical wounds and venous ulcers on its marketing page. Those are the manufacturer’s statements, not independent findings. For the generic idea of a dressing that does not stick to the wound bed, see non-adherent dressings.
How a PolyMem dressing is built
According to the manufacturer, every PolyMem dressing includes:
- a hydrophilic polyurethane matrix;
- a mild wound cleanser, which the maker says is activated by moisture;
- a moisturizer;
- a superabsorbent and a semi-permeable film backing.
The maker lists the standard line as non-adhesive, silicone-border, oval and tube styles. Because the layers are described by the manufacturer and not by a regulator, treat performance wording such as “cleanses” or “debrides” as the company’s claims. A neutral description of the product class is the GMDN term attached to most of the database records: a single-use “wound-nonadherent dressing, absorbent”.
What the FDA device database shows
This is the part retail listings rarely explain. openFDA’s UDI data (the open version of FDA’s GUDID, checked 2026-11-01) lists 96 device records under the brand name PolyMem, all from Ferris Mfg. Corp. and all listed as in commercial distribution. Of those records:
- Single-use: 96 of 96.
- Sterile: 92 of 96. The four non-sterile records are SportsWrap rolls.
- Prescription flag: 91 records flag prescription use, and 47 of those also flag over-the-counter use. Five records (four SportsWrap rolls and a Nursicare breast pad) flag over-the-counter use only.
- Premarket submission number: none of the 96 records lists one, so this page does not cite a 510(k) number.
The records do not use one product code. Product code KMF (“Bandage, Liquid”, Class I, 21 CFR 880.5090) appears on 60 records, and FRO (“Dressing, Wound, Drug”, device class listed as unclassified) on 34, the same 34 records whose GMDN term is antimicrobial (the silver line). Other codes appear on one to four records: IQI (“Orthosis, Limb Brace”, Class I) on the four SportsWrap records, NTX (a polyurethane nursing pad, Class I, 880.5630) on the Nursicare pad, and NAD (“Dressing, Wound, Occlusive”, Class I, 878.4020) on one silicone-border sacral dressing. Read these as the manufacturer’s listing choices in the database, and the regulator’s classification entry for a given product is the authoritative reference. For how silver products are discussed elsewhere on this site, see silver wound care dressings and antimicrobial wound dressings.
Types and variants
| Variant | What the sources say | Key difference | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PolyMem (standard) | Non-adhesive pads and rolls, adhesive film or cloth island and strip dressings, silicone-border styles, finger/toe and tube shapes; GMDN term “wound-nonadherent dressing, absorbent, non-antimicrobial” on 51 records | No silver | openFDA UDI; polymem.com |
| PolyMem Silver | Same formulation plus silver per the maker; GMDN term “absorbent, antimicrobial” on 30 records | Contains silver | polymem.com; openFDA UDI |
| WIC cavity filler | “Cavity-wound management dressing” GMDN terms (5 non-antimicrobial and 4 antimicrobial records); sold as filler and rope | Designed for deeper wound beds, per the GMDN definition | openFDA UDI |
| Nursicare breast pads | One record, product code NTX, over-the-counter flag only, 2.5 in. diameter, sterile | Breast pad, not a wound-dressing code | openFDA UDI; polymem.com |
| SportsWrap | Four non-sterile roll records, product code IQI; the maker states the wraps are non-sterile and should not be used on broken skin | Not a sterile wound dressing | openFDA UDI; polymem.com |
Sizes that appear in the records
These sizes come from the device descriptions in the 96 records. They show the range of formats, not a complete catalogue.
| Format | Sizes listed in records |
|---|---|
| Non-adhesive pad | 1.8 in. x 1.8 in.; 4 in. x 4 in.; 5 in. x 5 in.; 6.5 in. x 7.5 in. |
| Non-adhesive roll | 4 in. x 24 in.; 8 in. x 24 in. |
| Silver non-adhesive pad | 1.8 in. x 1.8 in.; 4 in. x 4 in.; 4.25 in. x 4.25 in.; 6.5 in. x 7.5 in. |
| Cavity filler (WIC) | 1 in. x 3 in.; 3 in. x 3 in.; 3 in. x 12 in. |
Labeling and storage
- Most records flag prescription use and are labeled sterile and single-use; the manufacturer’s instructions for use that come with each product govern its handling.
- Storage in the records is below 30 °C, with excursions below 55 °C to be minimized.
- SportsWrap is non-sterile and the maker says it should not be used on broken skin; do not confuse it with the sterile wound dressings.
Common mistakes
- Assuming one regulatory code. The brand appears under five product codes, so a code seen on one product does not apply to another.
- Looking for a 510(k) number in the UDI record. The records list no premarket submission number, so read performance statements as manufacturer claims unless you hold the regulator’s own clearance document.
- Treating SportsWrap or Nursicare as wound dressings. Their listings differ in sterility and product code.
- Mixing up foam dressings with other absorbent products. Compare construction, as in highly absorbent wound dressings.
FAQ
What is Adaptic wound dressing?
Adaptic is a separate product from PolyMem: a primary wound contact dressing made of a knitted cellulose acetate mesh impregnated with a petrolatum emulsion, designed to minimize wound adherence (3M/KCI sell sheet, as summarized on our Adaptic page). Details are on its own page: what is Adaptic.
What is a wet-to-dry wound dressing?
A wet-to-dry dressing is a gauze dressing that has been used as a form of mechanical debridement. A 2014 review in Advances in Wound Care notes that these dressings gained popularity through much of the 20th century, and that many investigations report drawbacks, including pain and possible re-injury of the wound when a dried dressing is removed. It is a different approach from the foam and non-adherent dressings discussed on this page (“Wound Dressings and Comparative Effectiveness Data”, PMC4121107, checked 2026-11-01).
Is a PolyMem dressing sterile?
Per the openFDA UDI records (checked 2026-11-01), 92 of 96 PolyMem records are sterile and single-use; the four non-sterile ones are SportsWrap rolls.
Does the FDA database list a 510(k) number for PolyMem?
No. None of the 96 records lists a premarket submission number.
Sources
- PolyMem manufacturer site (Ferris Mfg. Corp.), polymem.com, checked 2026-11-01.
- openFDA device UDI API (data from FDA’s GUDID), brand_name PolyMem, 96 records, checked 2026-11-01: open.fda.gov/apis/device/udi.
- Wound Dressings and Comparative Effectiveness Data, Advances in Wound Care (2014), pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4121107, checked 2026-11-01.
- openFDA device classification API, product codes KMF, FRO, IQI, NTX, NAD, checked 2026-11-01: open.fda.gov/apis/device/classification.
