The UrgoClean range is suitable for desloughing moderate to heavily exuding or sloughy leg ulcers, pressure ulcers, diabetic, acute or chronic wounds (http://www.urgo.co.uk/340-urgoclean).
For more information and to download this poster, go to: www.woundcare-today.com or www.urgo.co.uk
Remove
›
Black or yellow tissue needs removing for healing to occur. It can also:
•
Obsure the wound bed and hinder assessment
•
Hide and/or increase the risk of infection
•
Increase odour and the volume of exudate.
How?
›
Although there are several methods of desloughing wounds
(surgical, mechanical, chemical, larval, for example), the one
most frequently chosen in the community setting is autolytic
3
—
whereby the body’s own natural white cells deslough the wound.
If the body’s own natural cleansing ability is unable to cope with
the volume of exudate and sloughy tissue in the wound bed,
clinical intervention with dressings helps to kickstart the
healing process.
›
Choice of dressing will depend on the condition of the
wound bed:
•
if dry, select a moisture-donating dressing
•
if wet, select a moisture-absorbing dressing.
Protect
›
Fragile red or pink tissue needs protecting with dressings to
maintain the moist wound environment that is encouraging
tissue growth and healing.
Moisture-donating dressings
These dressings donate moisture to dead tissue, helping to
facilitate autolysis. They include: hydrogels, hydrocolloids, honey.
Moisture-absorbing dressings
These dressings absorb moisture, without drying out the wound
bed to maintain moisture balance at the wound surface. They
also help to prevent skin damage to the surrounding skin from
excess volumes of exudate. They include: alginates, hydro-
desloughing fibres.
Remember:
regularly reassess wounds and change dressings as
needed to ensure that the wound does not dry out or become too
moist. If there are signs or symptoms of infection, always refer.
This document is a guide only and does not diminish the requirement to exercise clinical judgement and follow local policy. The publishers and Urgo Medical cannot accept
responsibility for the use of this information in clinical practice.
1. Strohal R, et al (2013)
J Wound Care
22:
S1–S52
2. Brown A (2013)
Nurs Times
109:
40, 16–19
3. Kelly J, et al (2013)
Br J Community Nurs
18(Supp4):
42–9
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