Wound Care In A Spin – Whirlpool Therapy

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Whirlpool therapy, or hydrotherapy, is one of the oldest adjuvant forms of treatment for wounds still in use today.1,2 It was originally used in the management of pain, but later found a use in wound management, in particular in the management of burns patients. It is now commonly used to facilitate debridement in infected wounds,…

Smart Wound Dressings

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Many wound dressings fall into standard categories; foams,  hydrogels, and hydrocolloids for example. Although different dressings within these categories have slightly different features, all dressings within a category offer broadly similar properties. These dressings can all be placed on a continuum of occlusion ranging from gauze dressing at the least occlusive end to latex at…

The Importance of Maintaining Moisture Balance

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Before the seminal research of the 1960s, it was widely believed that wound healing could be encouraged by maintaining a dry wound bed. Despite all the evidence amassed over the intervening years to confirm the benefits of maintaining a moist healing environment, many patients still appear skeptical and instinctively averse to the idea of moisture…

Managing Wound Infections

The effective and efficient management of wound infections is one of the most important skills for the wound care professional to master. Regardless of any other intervention that is applied, no matter how sophisticated, a wound will not properly heal if an untreated infection is present. Topical Antimicrobials Antimicrobial therapy is key to managing wound…

Identifying Wound Infection

All wounds, whether resulting from physical injury or idiopathic causes, are susceptible to infection. Identifying wound infection is one of the most important roles of the wound care specialist, as an unmanaged infection can lead to chronic non-healing wounds and a wide range of complications. The Five Signs of Wound Infection Most wound care professionals…

When is an Infection Not an Infection?

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All skin has a certain resident level of bacteria and fungi known as microflora. This may be a difficult concept for patients familiar with advertisements for cleaners that ‘remove all germs’, but this resident microflora is an essential part of the body’s protection against pathogenic organisms. The presence of this low-level, non-replicating microbial presence is…

Evidence-Based Medicine in Clinical Decision Making

Previous articles have considered the importance of recording a full patient history, undertaking a thorough systems review, and making appropriate use of the different tests and measures available when confronted with a new wound care patient. Armed with the information from these different examinations, the wound care professional is now in a position to make…

The Basics of Wound Examination

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Previous articles in this series have considered the importance of a full patient examination and systems review as part of a wound assessment. While these elements are essential and provide a great deal of vital information, nothing can substitute for a thorough and detailed assessment of the wound itself. A careful wound examination is important…