Kerlix Gauze Bandages & Sponges

Few wound care names are as recognized on the crash cart and in the supply closet as Kerlix. Manufactured by Cardinal Health, this line of fluff-dried woven gauze is built for one job: absorbing exudate and wicking it away from the wound bed while conforming to whatever body part it wraps. Nurses reach for it because it lofts up thick, stays put, and doesn't fall apart when it's wet.

The range covers the everyday decisions a clinician makes at the bedside. For rolls, the Kerlix NonSterile Fluff Bandage (3324) — 6-ply, 4.5 inches by 4-1/10 yards — is the workhorse for securing dressings and general wrapping where sterility isn't required. When infection risk is a concern, the Kerlix AMD Antimicrobial line is impregnated with PHMB, an agent that reduces bacterial penetration through the dressing; you'll find it as a sterile 6-ply roll (3331) and as 6 x 6-3/4 inch antimicrobial sponges (6662). For open packing and heavy drainage, the Sterile Sponges (5072) come 12-ply, 4x4, packaged in 2s, while the Non-Sterile Super Sponges (6035) at nearly 10x11 inches handle large surgical or abdominal areas.

The practical questions come down to sterile versus non-sterile and plain versus antimicrobial. Use sterile for direct wound contact and invasive procedures; non-sterile is fine for outer wrapping, padding, and cleanup. Choose AMD when you want an added barrier against microbial contamination — chronic wounds, high-risk sites, or extended dressing intervals. Kerlix's crinkle-weave construction is what gives it that signature absorbency and drapability regardless of which version you pick.

Kerlix is a core part of any wound care inventory. Explore related supplies in our Wound Care collection, or compare options across Gauze & Sponges to stock the full range your facility needs.