Dressings

Question 1

Goals of a wound dressing

Answer 1

maintain a moist wound surface that promotes healing

Achieve a balance point of hydration (appropriately moist)

Question 2

What do we want a dressing to accomplish?

Answer 2

Facilitate environment conducive to wound healing (moist wound surface)
Reduce pain
Minimize cost
Be easy to use for all involved in dressing change
Maintain waterproof/bacterial barrier
Generate the fewest dressing changes possible: try to go at least a day up to 5 depending on the wound instead of like every 4 hours.
Thermal insulation to maintain tissue temp
Protect the healing wound from trauma.

Question 3

What are alginates used for?

Answer 3

moderate to highly exudative wounds, absorbs large volumes, eliminates dead space, conforms to wounds. Expensive.

Question 4

What is cadexomer iodine used for?

Answer 4

Chronic venous ulcers

Question 5

What is FOAM used for?

Answer 5

Absorbency varies, but full thickness wounds with moderate to heavy exudate. Could macerate skin. May or may not have adhesive border. Non-adherent to the wound

Question 6

What is hydrocolloid used for?

Answer 6

Wounds with light to moderate exudate. Adherent and conformable. Stays on for several days. Ideal for stage I or II pressure ulcers.

Question 7

What is Hydrogel used for?

Answer 7

Hydrate the wound bed. Full thickness wounds with minimal to no exudate. Needs secondary cover/dressing.

Question 8

What is transparent film used for?

Answer 8

Open partial thickness wounds with minimal exudate or on closed wounds that you want to protect. Secondary dressing

Question 9

What are biosynthetic dressings?

Answer 9

temporary or extended coverage of skin loss

Question 10

What is skin substitute?

Answer 10

living bio-engineered allograft products composed of a bio-absorbable matrix seeded with dermal and/or epidermal cells. Usually derived from neonatal foreskin.

Question 11

Indications for packing

Answer 11

dead space.

Question 12

Contraindications for packing

Answer 12

risk for increased bleeding (gel rather than gauze), damage to tissue, Infection. TIGHT packing can impair circulation and damage healthy tissue.

Question 13

Secondary dressings

Answer 13

On top of primary. - Absorbent pads, burn pads, compression, contact casting (for some venous wounds), foam, gauze, transparent film