Saturday, September 8, 2018

Understanding The Importance Of Wound Irrigation

By Melissa Stewart


Sometimes when one gets Into a horrible accident, it can be very frightening. The experience can even become more unsettling when a wound develops. Serious injuries can result in the loss of limbs. Before that happens, wound irrigation may play a successful role when it comes to keeping someone from losing their life.

There are those who remember playing in grass while the sprinkler system was running. All though if may have been a since of amusement for many children, it did have a different purpose. It was there to aid in the growth of a beautiful lawn.

Wound irrigation is similar in the fact that it uses a liquid to flush out debris or dead skin in an exposed area on the body. It helps in keep a wound hydrated which is of utmost importance to the healing process. It speeds it up and brings things back to normal. This can be compared to irrigating a yard because it produces something that is healthy.

Medical irrigation is most successful when the pressure is high enough to clean the wound without damaging it even more. The pressure is measured by pounds per square inch known as psi. Scientist that have performed experiments dealing with pressure have found that in order for this to be effective, a psi between 5 and 15 should be used. This will be effective in removing dead skin and other elements. However, if a wound is chronic, the key is finding the lowest pressure that will have the same outcome.

Ulcers look like open wounds and are a great demonstration of when it would be good to use medical irrigation. They resemble that of open sores that are infested with tissue that is dead. If one were to perform this medical irrigation, it would speed up the healing of the ulcer.

Now, one may wonder what would be the best liquids to use to aid in the healing process. One would definitely be water because it is a lot more accessible and incredible easy to use. Normal saline is another fluid that is commonly used because it has very few side effects. The healing process is preserved and its osmotic pressure equates to that of bodily fluids. Hydrogen Peroxide is sometimes used because it not only flushes the wound but also kills all types of bacteria and germs. Using this fluid has caused some controversy because evidence concludes that using it too much may slow down the healing process.

There are steps and procedures to follow before administering the procedure. One must wash their hands first, review the doctor's orders, and verify identification. After checking for allergies, it is important to then lay out all the medical equipment. Although the process is very quick, it is good to be prepared beforehand.

Cleaning usually consists of a syringe or tool similar to what a dentist would use to rinse ones teeth when cleaning. The size of the syringe is determined by the size of the wound. The stream is usually continual or intermittent. Having a stream that is intermittent is known as pulse irrigation. The procedure can last anywhere from one to two minutes depending upon the size and condition of the wound.




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