The Continuum of Wound Dressings- Charcoal Dressings and Their Use in Managing Odor

The Continuum of Wound Dressings- Charcoal Dressings and Their Use in Managing Odor

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Charcoal has been introduced into several classes of wound care dressings. Although charcoal in itself does not enhance wound healing, it can help to control odors associated with wounds, such as fungating and/or infected wounds. This is important, as wound malodor can be very upsetting for the patient: “Wound malodor is probably the most distressing symptom…

The Continuum of Wound Dressings: Silver Dressings

The Continuum of Wound Dressings: Silver Dressings

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It has long been known that silver is an effective antimicrobial. In fact, silver has been used as a topical antimicrobial agent for hundreds of years. In recent years, a large number of dressings containing silver compound or a compound that releases silver slowly over time have been developed, adding to the wound care dressing…

The Continuum of Wound Dressings- Hydrocolloids

The Continuum of Wound Dressings- Hydrocolloids

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In this series, we’ve been discussing the many different types of wound dressings, in terms of indications and precautions. Let’s continue with a discussion of hydrocolloid wound dressings Hydrocolloids Hydrocolloid wound dressings contain hydrophilic (absorbing or distilling in water) colloidal particles, such as pectin, carboxymethylcellulose or gelatin.  These dressings absorb fluid slowly and turn into…

The Continuum of Wound Care Dressings- Alginates and Composite Dressings

The Continuum of Wound Care Dressings- Alginates and Composite Dressings

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Continuing our review of dressings and their unique characteristics, let’s look at two other dressing types: alginates and composite dressings. Alginates Alginates are made from specific types of brown seaweed which contain alginic acid salts converted into sodium/calcium salts. They may be woven or nonwoven and look similar to cotton. These dressings, when placed in…

The Continuum of Wound Dressings – Hydrogels and Foams

The Continuum of Wound Dressings – Hydrogels and Foams

Continuing on in our discussion of wound dressings, let’s turn our attention to hydrogels and semipermeable foams. Hydrogels for Wound Care Hydrogels are water- or glycerin-based wound dressings that come in sheets, gels or impregnated gauzes. Hydrogels swell and are able to absorb small amounts of fluids. They are also able to add moisture to…

The Continuum of Wound Dressings- Semipermeable Film Dressings

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As you know, there are more than 3000 wound care products available on the market, which can make it very confusing for practitioners to choose the correct wound care product for their clients’ wounds. Let’s continue our discussion on the continuum of wound dressings. Semipermeable Film Dressings These dressings are thin and flexible and are…

Moist Wound Healing

Moist Wound Healing

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Moist wound healing is now the norm in wound care, rather than the dry gauze dressings of old. This is due to the fact that studies have shown that moisture actually speeds wound healing. The idea of moist wound healing was first defined during the 1960s. During this time, early pre-clinical and clinical research conducted…