Wound Management Flashcards
describe an incised wound
clean edges, usually surgical
describe a laceration
jagged edge (e.g. barbed wire)
describe an abrasion
graze, epithelial damage seen
describe a contusion
bruising, develops over time
describe a puncture wound
deep, entry wound often not indicative of extent of injury beneath
where are bites commonly seen?
hindlimbs
what is commonly associated with bites?
large wound, lots of tissue necrosis and infection
what are other wound types seen commonly in practice?
burns
bites
what is the main way to classify wounds?
time of presentation after injury
what are the classifications of traumatic wounds?
class 1-3
what is the time lapse since occurrence of a class 1 wound?
0-6 hours
what is the level of contamination and tissue trauma of a class one wound?
minimal (fresh)
what is the time lapse since occurrence of a class 2 wound?
6-12 hours
what is the level of contamination and tissue trauma of a class 2 wound?
increasing levels of bacteria, more contamination present
microbial burden has not reached critical level
what is the time lapse since occurrence of a class 3 wound?
more than 12 hours
what is the level of contamination and tissue trauma of a class 3 wound?
wound infection present regardless of how wound was created
does wound class affect the approach to treatment?
yes
how may wound class affect treatment?
class 3 wound not suitable for wound closure
what are some key considerations for a patient who has presented with a wound?
clinical exam for other injuries
assess wound location
concurrent disease
medication
temperament
nutrition status
pain level
owner intention
client compliance
costs
resources in practice
what are the key considerations about wound location?
patient interference
infection risk (near butt)
any crucial structures near / affected by wound
how does anatomy differ between dogs and cats with regards to wound healing?
dogs have higher density of collateral subcutaneous trunk vessels than cats
how do primary closure incisions differ between dogs and cats with regards to wound healing?
strength 50% less at 7 days in cats than i dogs
equal at 14 days
how does second intention healing differ between dogs and cats with regards to wound healing?
decreased skin perfusion during the first week of healing in cats
how dos granulation differ between dogs and cats with regards to wound healing?
cats have less granulation tissue than dogs
tissue seen peripherally in cats and centrally in dogs
granulation tissue takes longer to appear and cover the wound in cats
how does epithelialisation differ between dogs and cats with regards to wound healing?
much slower in cats (13% in 14 days as opposed to 44% in dogs)
what is involved in the initial assessment of a patient with a wound?
general assessment and history
checking for trauma
analgesia
vital signs
give necessary first aid
regular monitoring to stabilise patient if necessary
what are the phases of wound healing?
inflammatory phase
debridement phase
repair / proliferative phase
remodelling phase
what phases of wound healing occur concurrently?
inflammatory
debridement
when does the inflammatory phase of wound healing occur?
0-5 days
when does the debridement phase of wound healing occur?
0 onwards
when does the repair/proliferative phase of wound healing occur?
day 3 - 4 weeks
when does the remodelling phase of wound healing occur?
day 20 - ongoing
what happens during the inflammatory phase of wound healing?
haemorrhage
vasodilation
increase in vascular permeability
what happens during the debridement phase of wound healing?
phagocytosis
migration of WBC
removal of cellular debris
what happens during the repair/proliferative phase of wound healing?
fibroblasts proliferate
collagen synthesis
epithelialisation
contraction
wound bed rises - scar tissue formed
what happens during the remodelling phase of wound healing?
wound contraction (SA becomes smaller)
remodelling of collagen fibres
during the inflammatory phase of wound healing what is the purpose of vasodilation and increased vascular permeability?
cells and enzymes needed for debridement can access wound site more easily
what tissue is seen on the wound bed?
granulation
what does granulation tissue look like?
dark red
what does epithelialisation tissue look like?
pink
what will be performed on all wounds no matter the chosen closure technique?
lavage
what is the purpose of wound lavage?
reduction of bacterial load
reduce and remove debris
visualisation and assessment of wound
how effective is wound lavage at reducing bacterial load?
up to 50% lower for every hour earlier wound is lavaged
what must be considered about wound lavage?
fluid used
pressure
volume of fluid
what volume of fluid is recommended for wound lavage?
50-100ml per cm
what equipment will ensure correct pressure for wound flushing?
50ml syringe
green needle (18G)
what is the average suggested wound lavage pressure?
8-12 lbs/square inch
what is the risk of applying too much pressure during wound lavage?
push infection / debris further in
what solution should be used for wound lavage?
isotonic saline
owners could use cooled boiled water if needed
what should not be used for wound lavage?
chlorhexidine
povidine iodine
-potential for cell damage
what temperature should fluids for wound lavage be?
body temp
what are the main options for wound closure?
primary / first intention
delayed primary closure
secondary closure
second intention
what are the main considerations for second intention healing?
topical agents
dressings
types of bandage material
client complience
cost
expertise
what are the 5 main principles of wound management suggested by Esmarch?
non-introduction of anything harmful
tissue rest
wound drainage
avoidance of venous stasis
cleanliness
what is involved in tissue rest?
allow area to rest
minimal dressing changes
reduced patient movement
what is a crucial part of wound healing?
drainage
what is the benefit of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT)?
reduced oedema
reduced exudate accumulation in wound
bandage strikethrough reduced as wound fluid is evacuated into collection canister
increased central wound perfusion and vascularisation
rapid contraction and wound healing
reduction in dressing changes
what is the benefit of reduced strikethrough in NPWT?
fewer bandage changes so tissue can rest
in what phase of wound healing is increased central wound perfusion and vascularisation vital?
inflammatory
how does NPWT reduce bacterial burden?
removal of infectious material
how does NPWT protect against infection?
provides protected wound healing environment
how does NPWT reduce excess exudate?
removal
how does NPWT reduce oedema?
removal
how does NPWT manage absence of moisture?
provides moist environment
how does NPWT manage lack of adequate blood flow?
promotes perfusion
how does NPWT manage lack of granulation tissue formation?
promotes formation and draws wound edges together
what can be used topically in wounds?
honey
silver
what types of honey can be used in wounds?
table honey
medical grade
why is honey being used more commonly?
broad spectrum antimicrobial activity
anti-inflammatory
effective against MRSA and pseudomonas
what type of wounds is honey especially effective for?
chronic non-healing
is medical grade or table honey better for wound management?
table honey had range of microbial species
and lower antimicrobial activity than medical grade
medical grade also sterile
is regular honey or manuka honey better for wound management?
manuka better as no hydrogen peroxide better antimicrobial
how does manuka honey promote wound healing?
pH of wound is lowered by honey (more acidic)
proteases which break down proteins involved in fibrin matrix of granulation tissue are denatured/less effective
granulation is more efficient and epithelialisation can occur
what are the main considerations when using honey?
higher level of exudate so may need more dressing changes / different dressings
may be cellular damage in healthy granulating wounds
need to stop using honey after a certain time to prevent proud flesh due to excessive granulation
why does use of honey on wounds lead to higher level of exudate?
honey has high sugar content so osmolarity is higher than fluid in wound - increased exudate
why should use of honey be stopped once granulation tissue has developed?
over production of granulation tissue may prevent epithelialisation
what is the role of granulation tissue?
creation of new tissue bed to enable epithelialisation
what forms can silver be applied to wounds in?
cream
dressing
what is the primary benefit of silver in wound healing?
antimicrobial properties
what phase of wound healing is silver best used in?
inflammatory
what wounds is silver not indicated for use in?
chronic non-healing
what is the purpose of wet to dry bandages?
macerate (overhydrate) wound and then desiccate wound bed
what happens when wet to dry dressings are removed?
non-selective mechanical debridement so that some of the cells and tissue essential for wound healing are removed along with necrotic tissue
what are the downsides of wet-to-dry dressings?
environmental bacteria can penetrate gauze
pain when removed
remnants of gauze fibre remain in wound resulting in inflammation
increase wound care total costs
what is a wet to dry dressing?
saline soaked swabs are packed into the wound
dry placed on top
removed after a number of days once swabs are dry
debridement
what is an example of a moisture retentive dressing?
allyven
what is the benefit of moisture retentive dressings?
removal of exudate while keeping wound moist to provide optimal healing environment
wound does not dry out as in a wet to dry
less frequent bandage changes
what are the main dressing types available?
hydrogel
hydrocolliod
vapour-permeable films and membranes
foam
what are examples of hydrogel dressings?
intrasite
what are hydrogel dressings made of?
water-based, amorphous, cohesive application that is applied to the wound bed
what are hydrogel dressings covered with?
secondary, non-absorbent dressing
what is the role of hydrogel dressings?
moist and warm environment created for wound healing
what is an example of a hydrocolloid dressing?
aquacel
what are hydrocolloid dressings made of?
carboxymethylated cellulose, pectin and geletine
how are hydrocolloid dressings applied to the wound?
non-adherent gel formed on contact with the wound
when are hydrocolloid dressings used commonly?
closed wounds
uncommon in open wound managment
what is an example of a vapour permeable membrane dressing?
primapore or melolin
what are vapour-permeable dressings made of?
a sheet of absorbent material between two thin layers of film that contains small pores for the movement of gas and fluid
when are vapour permeable dressings commonly used?
end stage wound healing as not as absorbent
surgical wounds
what is an example of a foam dressing?
allevyn
what are foam dressings made of?
polyurethane foam
what forms can foam dressings come in?
adhesive
non-adhesive
with or without breathable film backing
what is the role of allevyn?
absorb exudate as hydrophillic
what are the considerations when choosing a bandage for a patient?
location of wound (is bandaging possible)
client compliance
finance
prognosis
is surgery a likely outcome
when are tie-over dressings used?
hard to bandage areas
how is a tie over dressing performed?
sutures placed into healthy tissue around wound edge
swabs packed into wound
once sufficiently padded, sutures used to thread ties through and secure bandage to patient
what are the downsides of tie-over dressings?
strike through
risk of bacterial contamination
GA for dressing changes needed
how often do tie over dressings need to be changed?
every 5 days