II. Goal
- Obtain clean decubitus wound without Trauma
III. Protocol: Clean wound at each dressing change
- Use Normal Saline for cleansing most ulcers
- Use minimal mechanical force
- Gently cleanse with Normal Saline 20 to 50 cc
- Irrigation pressure
- Enough to enhance wound cleaning but avoid Trauma
- Keep pressure in range 4-15 psi
- Use gentle pressure via syringe
- Catheter-tip syringe
- Luer-lock syringe with butterfly with needle off
- Syringe with 19 gauge needle
- Whirlpool bath indications
- Ulcer with thick exudate, slough or necrotic tissue
- Avoid antiseptics (cytotoxic)
- Povidone Iodine
- Iodophor
- Dakin's Solution or Hypochlorite (Bleech)
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Acetic acid