Debridement and Dressings Flashcards
What is the ultimate goal of wound management
Full wound closure!
What are the most effective methods for controlling wound colonization? (2)
Debridement and irrigation
What is the interim step of wound management?
Obtain a clean, moist, warm, granular wound bed while protecting the periwound and intact skin
How do you maintain moisture balance?
Primarily through dressings
Is necrotic tissue a medium for bacterial growth?
Yes. It is also a barrier to wound contraction, granulation, and re-epithelialization
What is the rating (0-4) for a palpable pulse?
2+. User doppler, MRA, or angiogram if you have to. Listen for type of sound too
What meds must you find out if the patient is on before debridement?
Anticoauglants
Also check if infection is present?
Should you debride if non-viable tissue is present?
Yes, if slough or eschar is noted. Do not if it is all healthy tissue
Should you debride a dry, stable, uninfected would in the heel?
No
What do you ask yourself after determining the wound is in another location other than the heel?
Is sharp debridement appropriate?
If sharp debridement is NOT indicated, then what 2 questions must you ask yourself?
Is the wound infected?
Is the wound covered completely (100%) by non-viable tissue?
What debridement do you do if the wound is infected?
You do enzymatic debidement (autolytic debridement is CONTRAINDIATED!) *if it is not infected, then you can do autolytic
What debridement do you do if the wound covered completely (100%) by non-viable tissue??
Mechanical debridement is OK. If there is viable tissue present, consider ezymatic (infected) or autolytic (non-infected)
When can you NOT use enzymatic debridement?
If deeper tissues are exposed (bone, ligament, tissue)
What are the 7 contraindications to sharp debridement? (others Kathy Leahy listed in a separate slide are also listed)
Cannot visualize wound bed (tunneling, undermining, etc) Uninfected ischemic ulcers Connective / structural tissues Patient has poor tolerance (pain, agitation) Patient is taking anticoagulants Too much risk to viable tissue Practitioner not competent/not skilled in sharp debridement, or not allowed to perform by law --- Ischmeic tissue Wound bed not visible (tunneling) Deeper tissue Surgical debridement imminent Electrical burns (Sue Reeder) Protective eschar Pyogderma gangenosum - body attacks itself; looks life ulcer;treat w/steroids Confusion, agitation Precaution:anticoagulation meds Precaution:Low platelet counts
Should wounds get bigger before they get better?
Yes, they may still get bigger even after you treat it. Must document wound size progression to get reimbursed. But bleeding in sharp debridement should me minimal; it’s dead.
What is sharp debridement appropriate for?
Appropriate for wounds with eschar, loose slough, or adherent fibrin. Speed is an advantage, but anything sharp may cause damage to unintended structures
What instruments are used in sharp debridement?
Foreceps
Scissors
Scalpels
Curette - ice cream scoop
What might Pyoderma Gangrenosum be confused with?
Venous leg ulcer
1 in 100000
pts in 40s and 50s
What is the most selective form of debridement?
Autolytic
How does autolytic debridement work?
Uses body’s own enzymes to digest necrotic tissue (enzymes released by macrophages and neutrophils)
Use of moisture retentive dressing
How long does dressing cover wound bed in autolytic debridement? What are 3 examples?
SEVERAL DAYS! Examples include: Hydrogel sheets, hydrocolloids, transparent films (tegaderm (use over IV site) is most transparent and duoderm is least transparent)
What is the minimum amount of time to keep a hydrocolloid on?
3 days minimum for hydrocolloids
What takes longer, sharp debridement or autolytic?
Autolytic. 6 days longer than sharp