Integument Dressings Study Guide Flashcards
Moderately- Highly Absorbent
Gauze (aka 4x4s)
Alginates
Hydrofiber
Foams
Wound fillers
Low-No Absorbency
Hydrocolloids
Transparent Films
Impregnated Gauze
Hydrating
Hydrogel
Misc.
Composites
Contact Layers (pain)
Negative pressure wound therapy
Antimicrobial
Silver-based, Iodine-based, Honey-based, Topical antibacterials
Enzymatic Debriders
Collagenase Santyl, Accuzyme, Panafil
Wound Stimulating
Collagens, Growth Factors, Biologicals, Hypertonic, Saline
Primary dressings :
directly in contact with wound; maintains wound moisture
Secondary dressings:
on top of primary dressing for retention; augments primary dressing’s function
Types of Tape Securement:
Paper= gentle to skin, comfortable, porous and highly breathable; holds well on damp skin
Soft cloth = soft and stretchy, comfortable, polyester fabric
Foam = comfortable, stretches for compression, secure adhesion for contoured sites
Transparent plastic = easy to tear, sticks well to self
Gauze
Alginates
Hydrofiber
Permeability:
Non-occlusive
*This permeability is good for primary dressings
Foams
Wound fillers
Permeability:
Semi-occlusive/
semi-permeable
(some are occlusive)
Gauze Special Characteristics:
Can be woven or non-woven
→ Non-woven = better absorbency Wrapping gauze
primary = absorbency
secondary = bulk cushioning
Gauze Used for:
Wet-to -dry dressings to pack wound with undermining or filling cavernous wounds
Acute surgical wound incisions
Highly draining wounds
Infected wounds
Gauze Poor for:
Clean granulating and epithelializing wounds
Exposed bone, tendons, mesh, grafts
Third degree burns
Minimal exudate/dry wound
Alginates Special Characteristics:
Highly absorbent, conforms to body shape, doesn’t adhere to wound bed, hemostatic
Will need a secondary dressing
Alginates Used for:
Maintains wound moisture
Provides autolytic debridement
Acute surgical wound incisions
Highly draining wounds
Infected wounds
Good for full or partial thickness wounds with mod-heavy exudate and bleeding wounds
Alginates Poor for:
Clean granulating and epithelializing wounds
Exposed bone, tendons, mesh, grafts
Third degree burns
Minimal exudate/dry wound
Hydrofiber Special Characteristics:
Same as alginates except it is NOT a hemostat
Will need a secondary dressing
Hydrofiber Used for:
Maintains wound moisture
Provides autolytic debridement
Acute surgical wound incisions
Highly draining wounds
Infected wounds
Good for full or partial thickness wounds with mod-heavy exudate and bleeding wounds
Hydrofiber Poor for:
Clean granulating and epithelializing wounds
Exposed bone, tendons, mesh, grafts
Third degree burns
Minimal exudate/dry wound
Foams Special Characteristics:
Moderate-highly absorbent, conforms to body shape, does not adhere to wound bed, provides no residue
May or may not have an adhesive border; if none, will need securement
Foams Used for:
Maintains wound moisture
Wound insulator
Aids in autolytic debridement
Primary for scant to moderately
draining wounds
Secondary for moderately-highly
draining wounds
Painful wounds as non-adherent
dressing
Foams Poor for:
Infected wounds
Highly draining wounds
Dry eschar
Hydrocolloids Permeability:
Occlusive
*primary= shallow minimally draining wound
secondary= deep cavity wound
Hydrocolloids Special Characteristics:
Combo of gel-forming polymers with adhesives into backing of film or foam; conforms to body shape Does not require a secondary dressing
Hydrocolloids Used for:
Maintains wound moisture
Aids in autolytic debridement
Provides insulation
Minimally draining wounds
For perineal/pelvic wounds
Second skin for protection from
frequent dressing changes
Dry wound or necrotic/granular wound
Hydrocolloids Poor for:
Infected wounds
Highly draining wounds as a primary
Thin fragile skin
Third degree burns
Exposed tendon/bone
Transparent Films Permeability:
Semi-occlusive/
semi-permeable
Transparent Films Special Characteristics:
Provides no absorbency; moisture vapor and O2 permeable
Transparent Films Used for:
Maintains wound moisture
Aids in autolytic debridement
May function as a secondary dressing
Transparent Films Poor for:
Infected wounds
Highly draining wounds
Impregnated Gauze Permeability:
Semi-occlusive/
semi-permeable
Impregnated Gauze Special Characteristics:
Primarily used as a contact layer
Impregnated Gauze Used for:
Aids in autolytic debridement
Primary for scant to moderately draining wounds
Secondary for moderately-highly draining wounds
Painful wounds as non-adherent dressing
Impregnated Gauze Poor for:
Infected wounds
Highly draining wounds
Hydrogel Permeability:
Semi-occlusive/
semi-permeable
Hydrogel Special Characteristics:
Conforms to body shape; does not adhere to wound bed
Hydrogel Used for:
Provides moisture to wound
Promotes granulation/epithelialization
Aids in autolytic debridement
Relieves pain
Hydrogel Poor for:
Infected wounds
Highly draining wounds
Third degree burns
Composites Used for:
Primary or secondary cover dressing
Provides autolytic debridement
Manages minimal to heavy exudates
Contact Layers (pain) Permeability:
Semi-occlusive/
semi-permeable
Contact Layers (pain) Special Characteristics:
Thin, non adherent dressings; porous to allow wound exudate to pass through
Requires secondary dressing
Contact Layers (pain) Used for:
Primary dressing to protect wound bed from overlying secondary dressings
Allows wound exudate to pass through up to secondary dressings
Contact Layers (pain) Poor for:
Shallow, dehydrated, or eschar
covered wounds or thick exudate
Negative pressure wound therapy Special Characteristics:
Uses V.A.C. therapy to draw excess fluid from wound
Negative pressure wound therapy Used for:
Non invasive treatment that aids and improves wound healing
Reduces wound healing time by stimulating more rapid cellular replication
Negative pressure wound therapy Poor for:
Malignancy, ischemic wounds,
osteomyelitis, direct placement over arteries, veins, nerves, organs
Antimicrobial: Silver-based, Iodine-based, Honey-based, Topical antibacterials Used for:
Against different bacteria
Enzymatic Debriders: Collagenase Santyl, Accuzyme, Panafil Used for:
Stimulates new tissue development. Good for chronic, non-healing granulated wounds and partial- thickness, tunneling wounds with minimal to heavy exudate
Enzymatic Debriders: Collagenase Santyl, Accuzyme, Panafil Poor for:
Third degree burns
Sensitivity to specific debridger material
Wound Stimulating: Collagens, Growth Factors, Biologicals, Hypertonic, Saline Special Characteristics:
They require a secondary dressing
Wound Stimulating: Collagens, Growth Factors, Biologicals, Hypertonic, Saline Used for:
chronic non-healing granulated wounds (Ex: skin graft, tunneling, min to heavy exudates)
Wound Stimulating: Collagens, Growth Factors, Biologicals, Hypertonic, Saline Poor for:
Not good for 3rd-degree burns
