Certain unexpected events can cause one to damage their skin and deeper tissues. Road traffic accidents are among the common ways that people develop wounds. Gunshot wounds are common among people living in insecure areas where crime is rampant. One can also damage their tissues when they sustain burn wounds. Judicious wound irrigation is paramount to ensure that injured tissues heal properly.
In the ideal situation, solutions meant for cleaning wounds should be transparent to facilitate accurate and thorough wound cleansing. They also need to be inexpensive and nontoxic to the injured. Normal saline fits this description just right. It is the typical solution for cleansing. It is an isotonic solution with no toxic contents. One major drawback to its use is the fact that it may not kill any harmful microbes that may be present. Povidone iodine, potable water and sodium hypochlorite are additional options that can be used.
Equipment used for irrigation include syringes, pressure canisters and traditional containers modified for cleaning under pressure. Canisters could be of the piston type or bulbous. They have the advantage of being simple, cheap and efficient.
Debridement requires enough pressures to ensure effective removal of all damaged tissue. Continuous and pulsed irrigation are the two main approaches for debridement. As the name suggests, the continuous procedure is done without stoppage until all the dirt has been washed away. On the other hand, the pulsed method is done with periodic breaks in between. At end of the day, regardless of what means was used, the outcome is usually similar.
While performing debridement, it is important that both the patient and caregiver are protected from getting infections. Any foreign devices such as cannulas and catheters should be well covered. The eyes and face of the healthcare provider are bound to be splashed on by dirty fluid if protective measures are not put in place. Ensuring that the eyes do not glare directly and close to the wound helps in protecting them against splashes. The face also needs to be well covered by protective masks and gloves. Gowning and gloving are also important in keeping splashes from getting to the skin.
Apart from controlling active bleeding of tissues, unclean wounds need to be irrigated to ensure they heal rapidly. Irrigating tissues that are still bleeding can result in fatal complications. Clots tend to form very rapidly and can easily be transmitted elsewhere in the body. A clot lodged in the lungs is dangerous because the affected person can develop respiratory distress.
Sustaining severe physical injury is often very traumatic to the patient. Subjecting them to further trauma is not fair at all. It is only noble that sufficient anesthesia is provided to ensure that they do not complain of pain during the procedure. Depending on how severe the damage is, either general or local anesthesia can be utilized.
It is important to document in detail what was done during debridement. One should indicate what solution was used and how much of it. In addition, if the wound was stitched up immediately, this should be indicated. Sometimes the wound may require several dressing sessions to allow infection to clear before it is closed with stitches .
In the ideal situation, solutions meant for cleaning wounds should be transparent to facilitate accurate and thorough wound cleansing. They also need to be inexpensive and nontoxic to the injured. Normal saline fits this description just right. It is the typical solution for cleansing. It is an isotonic solution with no toxic contents. One major drawback to its use is the fact that it may not kill any harmful microbes that may be present. Povidone iodine, potable water and sodium hypochlorite are additional options that can be used.
Equipment used for irrigation include syringes, pressure canisters and traditional containers modified for cleaning under pressure. Canisters could be of the piston type or bulbous. They have the advantage of being simple, cheap and efficient.
Debridement requires enough pressures to ensure effective removal of all damaged tissue. Continuous and pulsed irrigation are the two main approaches for debridement. As the name suggests, the continuous procedure is done without stoppage until all the dirt has been washed away. On the other hand, the pulsed method is done with periodic breaks in between. At end of the day, regardless of what means was used, the outcome is usually similar.
While performing debridement, it is important that both the patient and caregiver are protected from getting infections. Any foreign devices such as cannulas and catheters should be well covered. The eyes and face of the healthcare provider are bound to be splashed on by dirty fluid if protective measures are not put in place. Ensuring that the eyes do not glare directly and close to the wound helps in protecting them against splashes. The face also needs to be well covered by protective masks and gloves. Gowning and gloving are also important in keeping splashes from getting to the skin.
Apart from controlling active bleeding of tissues, unclean wounds need to be irrigated to ensure they heal rapidly. Irrigating tissues that are still bleeding can result in fatal complications. Clots tend to form very rapidly and can easily be transmitted elsewhere in the body. A clot lodged in the lungs is dangerous because the affected person can develop respiratory distress.
Sustaining severe physical injury is often very traumatic to the patient. Subjecting them to further trauma is not fair at all. It is only noble that sufficient anesthesia is provided to ensure that they do not complain of pain during the procedure. Depending on how severe the damage is, either general or local anesthesia can be utilized.
It is important to document in detail what was done during debridement. One should indicate what solution was used and how much of it. In addition, if the wound was stitched up immediately, this should be indicated. Sometimes the wound may require several dressing sessions to allow infection to clear before it is closed with stitches .
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