Pulse Lavage Is An Effective Wound Care Treatment

By Paulette Short


Appropriate cleansing and debridement of wounds that are opened to the air is an important part of wound care management. This is because such techniques prevent infections from taking place due to foreign bodies such as bacteria that may attempt to enter the person's body through the wound. Such treatment also facilitates the healing process. Studies have been completed on a type of treatment called pulse lavage, during which the wound is cleansed with water. This method is different from conventional techniques that require the area be kept dry.

Wounds can occur for a variety of reasons. For example, a person who is immobile or in a nursing home may develop bedsores because he or she is unable to rise from bed to ambulate and complete other activities. Other wounds may be caused by burns, cuts, or any number of other unfortunate incidents.

Pulse lavage is a phrase used to describe irrigating wounds through the delivery of a water-based solution. This is generally completed under a particular amount of pressure, and an electric device is typically utilized to transport the irrigation fluid. During the procedure, simultaneous pressure is applied to the area, and then the irrigation solution is suctioned from the wound. This technique eliminates debris and potentially infectious substances and eradicates them from the surface of the wound.

It is also possible to deliver the irrigation and suction simultaneously. With this method, the solution irrigates one area of the wound while suctioning another area. For wounds that are very small in circumference, it may be difficult to implement this technique, however.

This technique has come to be known by various names, including jet, mechanical, and pulsatile lavage. It is also frequently referred to as "high-pressure irrigation". All the aforementioned phrases essentially refer to the same method. Plain water may be used as a solution for the irrigation, or other substances may be added as determined by a wound care specialist, general doctor, or surgeon.

The military also uses this type of irrigation method. Using this procedure to debride and clean contaminated wounds that patients received in combat was determined to be a highly effective option for such individuals. In fact, the technique was first used in the 1960s on military personnel, and shortly thereafter it was performed on civilians. Although further studies are currently being conducted on its level of effectiveness and safety, this method is now universally accepted by most health care practitioners.

This technique is associated with different irrigation pressure levels. Some clinical researchers claim that only low-pressure should be applied when irrigating a wound, while other state that high-pressure irrigation is not any more dangerous than the aforementioned pressure. The level of pressure used will depend on the severity of the wound, as well as the advice of the patient's attending physician. In addition, research has indicated that the tissue surrounding the injury will be protected from foreign bodies, such as bacteria, following pressurized irrigation.

It is likely that pulse lavage will be used for many years to come on numerous patients. More studies are being conducted in order to fine tune the techniques used. Anyone suffering from a wound should consider speaking to his or her primary care practitioner about this cleansing method.




About the Author:



Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire

blogger