Surgery Book

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Wound CleansingAka: Decubitus Ulcer Cleansing

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  1. See Also
    1. Wound Dressing
  2. Goal
    1. Obtain clean decubitus wound without trauma
  3. Clean wound at each dressing change
    1. Use Normal Saline for cleansing most ulcers
    2. Use minimal mechanical force
      1. Gently cleanse with normal Saline 20 to 50 cc
      2. Irrigation pressure
        1. Enough to enhance wound cleaning but avoid trauma
        2. Keep pressure in range 4-15 psi
      3. Use gentle pressure via syringe
        1. Catheter-tip syringe
        2. Luer-lock syringe with butterfly with needle off
        3. Syringe with 19 gauge needle
    3. Whirlpool bath indications
      1. Ulcer with thick exudate, slough or necrotic tissue
    4. Avoid antiseptics (cytotoxic)
      1. Povidone iodine
      2. Iodophor
      3. Dakin's solution or Hypochlorite (Bleech)
      4. Hydrogen peroxide
      5. Acetic acid

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