II. Category
- Traditional Wound Dressing or filler
III. Characteristics
- Absorptive
- Nonocclusive
- Nonadhesive
- Moisture retentive (gauze must be kept moist)
IV. Indications
- Light to moderately edudative wounds
- Wounds with sinus tracts, tunneling or undermining
- Deep wounds
- Types 2 to 4 Pressure Sores
- Mechanical Debridement (Wet-to-Dry Dressing)
V. Technique: Wet-to-Moist Dressing
- Change twice daily
- Wet to Moist Dressing Example
- First layer: wet 4x4 gauze with saline
- Second layer: Vaseline Gauze
- Third layer: dry 4x4 gauze
- Kerlix dressing to hold in place
VI. Technique: Wet-to-Dry Dressing (Debridement only)
- Debrides at the expense of removing healthy tissue
- Wet-to-Moist Dressing is preferred in most cases
- Technique
- Apply gauze wet with Normal Saline to wound
- Allow gauze to dry
- Remove dressing with attached wound debris
- Repeat several times daily
VII. Advantages
- Inexpensive and efficacious
VIII. Disadvantages
- Requires more intense wound care (due to repeated moistening, reapplication)
- Consider Hydrocolloid Dressing as simpler alternative
- Maceration of peri-wound edges
- Leaves lint or fiber residue in wound
- Requires tape or film to secure in place
- Wet-to-dry removes normal tissue with Debridement
- Adherance to healthy granulation tissue if dries
- May destroy healthy epithelial cells and slow healing
- Use Wet-to-Moist Dressing to avoid this
IX. References
- Bello (2000) JAMA 283(6): 716-8 [PubMed]
- Degreef (1998) Dermatol Clin 16(2): 365-75 [PubMed]
- Findlay (1996) Am Fam Physician 54(5): 1519-28 [PubMed]
- Habif (1996) Clinical Derm, Mosby, p. 810-13
- Knapp (1999) Pediatr Clin North Am 46(6):1201-13 [PubMed]
- Krasner (1995) Prevention Management Pressure Ulcers
- Lewis (1996) Med-Surg Nursing, Mosby, p. 199-200
- Lueckenotte (1996) Gerontologic Nurs., Mosby, p. 800-7
- PUGP (1995) Am Fam Physician 51(5):1207-22 [PubMed]
- PUGP (1994) Pressure Ulcer Treatment, AHCPR 95-0653
- Way (1991) Current Surgical, Lange, p.95-108