Wet-to-dry dressings

Question 1

which dressing is the most widely used still today

Answer 1

gauze
2nd most common is no dressing
3rd most common is saline gauze

Question 2

why are gauze dressings substandard

Answer 2

add to the pt’s discomfort, impede healing, and increase the risk of infection
o May incur more labor for the clinician/caregiver
o May incur more cost

Question 3

what are wet-to-dry dressings intended for

Answer 3

the use in the debridement of devitalized tissues from the wound bed.

Question 4

how does wet-to-dry dressings work

Answer 4

o Gauze is moistened with normal saline and placed on wound
 Moistened layer covered with dry layers of dressings
 Moistened gauze dries out  adheres to surface tissues which are removed when dry dressings removed

Question 5

what are pt. issues with gauze dressings

Answer 5

o Impeded healing secondary to local tissue cooling
 Evaporation of water from a surface results in a reduction of temperature
 open wound has nothing to impede evaporation
 Gauze does little to impede evaporation
o Semiocclusive dressing impedes moisture loss from the wound therefore limiting local cooling

Question 6

what can reductions in tissue temperature cause

Answer 6

 Local reflex vasoconstriction and hypoxia
 Impairment of leukocyte mobility and phagocytic effects
 Increased affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen
 ALL impede healing and increase risk of infection