Wound infections are a common concern, and one of the key indicators of infection is purulent drainage. If you’ve noticed unusual fluid oozing from a wound, you’re probably dealing with a form of purulent drainage. WoundEducators will help you understand what purulent drainage is, what causes it, and how to treat it. What is Purulent Drainage? Purulent…
When assessing wounds, it is important to assess the amount and type of wound drainage, as well as any odor associated with the wound. Drainage and odor can provide important clues regarding wound health, such as the possible presence of infection. Wound Drainage Characteristics Wound drainage can be described according to the following four characteristics/descriptors:…
In an effort to improve and standardize patient care outcomes, evidence-based wound management has gained significant importance. By using evidence-based wound management when treating wounds, answers to common problems can be addressed resulting in improved patient outcomes. What is Evidence-Based Wound Management? Evidence-based medicine has been defined as the “conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of…
As we have seen, the TIME mnemonic can be used to capture the fundamental principles of wound bed preparation.1,2 Become a professional at appropriate dressing selection for the different stages of wound healing within the TIME trick. As no single wound dressing is suitable for all wound types or healing stages, wounds should be assessed…
Patients with COVID-19 may be especially susceptible to unavoidable pressure injuries because of the way the COVID-19 virus interferes with the human body’s normal processes. Background: What is Considered an Unavoidable Pressure Injury? The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) has defined an unavoidable pressure injury as one where the proper evaluation was completed and…
Lymphedema can be defined as swelling of one or more limbs which may also include a portion of the corresponding trunk. Lymphedema can also affect the breast, head, neck or genitalia. It occurs when fluid and other components such as protein accumulate in the tissue spaces as a result of a disparity between the creation…
Your patient arrives a day early for a scheduled dressing change. As you prepare to remove and change the bandage, the patient tells you that he has had increased pain in the days since the last dressing change, and also an increased amount of drainage which you can see for yourself. You take the dressing…
It is crucial to apply a standardized measurement system to evaluate whether a diabetic foot ulcer is responding to care, as a result several classification systems have been proposed. At the present time no specific system has been universally accepted. Even so, most clinicians use one of the available systems when assessing and documenting a diabetic ulcer. In this article we…
Wound Undermining Wound undermining occurs when the tissue under the wound edges becomes eroded, resulting in a pocket beneath the skin at the wound’s edge. Undermining is measured by inserting a probe under the wound edge directed almost parallel to the wound surface until resistance is felt. The amount of undermining is the distance from the…
Full-thickness skin and tissue loss with exposed or directly palpable fascia, muscle, tendon, ligament, cartilage or bone in the ulcer. Slough and/or eschar may be visible. Epibole (rolled edges), undermining and/or tunneling often occur. Depth varies by anatomical location. If slough or eschar obscures the extent of tissue loss this is an Unstageable Pressure Injury….
