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Important Information Concerning Pulse Lavage Treatment For Wounds

By Paulette Short


Proper debridement and cleansing of open wounds is vitally important with regard to wound care management. It speeds the process of healing, and inhibits infections from starting due to the presence of foreign bodies such as bacteria that may use the wound as a place to enter the person's body. Studies have been completed on a technique referred to pulse lavage debridement, during which the wound is cleansed with water, unlike conventional techniques that require that the area to remain dry.

There are many reasons a wound may be sustained. For instance, an individual who is in a nursing home or who is immobile may develop bedsores due to the fact that he or she cannot rise from bed to complete daily living activities or ambulate. Other injuries of this type may be the result of cuts, burns, or any one of many other unfortunate occurrences.

Pulse lavage refers to the delivering of a water-based solution for the purpose of irrigating a wound. This is typically done under a specific level of pressure, and the solution is passed through a device that is run by electricity. The irrigation results in simultaneous pressure being applied to the area and is followed with suction, the latter of which removes the irrigation solution from the wound. This cleansing method eliminates debris and infectious agents from the wound's surface.

Delivering suction and irrigation simultaneously is also possible. With this technique, the water irrigates one section of the area, while suctioning is performed on another section of the wound. However, for very small wounds, this technique may be challenging to implement.

This type of wound cleansing goes by many different names, these include mechanical, pulsatile, or jet lavage, as well as simply "high-pressure irrigation." However, they all essentially refer to the same technique. The solution used for the irrigation may be plain water, or it may contain other substances as determined by the surgeon, general doctor, or wound care specialist.

This type of cleansing method is used by military healthcare professionals as well. Cleaning and debriding contaminated wounds sustained in combat with high-pressure irrigation was determined to be very effective for patients with such injuries. It was during the 1960s that this type of technique was initially used, when it was first completed on military patients and then performed on civilians. Although its effectiveness and safety are still being researched, it is now a universally accepted technique.

There are various levels of pressure that can be utilized with this cleansing method. Some medical scientists claim that only low pressure irrigation should be performed, while other professionals report that there are no additional risks associated with high-pressure techniques. This decision will largely depend on the kind of wound the individual sustained, as well as the opinion of the doctor or other practitioner from whom the patient is receiving treatment. Research has overwhelmingly pointed to the fact that tissue surrounding the wound is safer from exposure to foreign substances such as bacteria after pressurized irrigation is performed.

Most professionals agree that this technique will be used on numerous patients for many years in the future. Additional research is currently underway in order to further perfect this method. Those afflicted with wounds should consider speaking to a medical doctor or other professional about pulse lavage.




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