Using Pulse Lavage For Wound Management

By Teri Farley


Pulse lavage is one method used for cleaning wounds. This is a mechanical hydrotherapy which involves using pressurized saline solution for cleaning and debriding wounds. The solution is used to irrigate wound debris and some necrotic tissues. Most often, suction is used in combination with this to remove the solution used. Many clinical settings practice this method to manage wounded patients.

Wound cleaning is very important for obvious reasons. These must be properly managed so that the patient can begin with the healing process. Proper management also reduces the risk for infection. Necrotic tissues and bacteria must be removed from the wound bed to make way for the healing process. This way, open wounds can gradually repair and completely heal.

The purpose of this method is to help granulation tissues grow. For this to take place, debris found on the wound should be eliminated without causing harm to normal underlying tissues. The suction also produces negative pressure which stimulates granulation tissues. Trained practitioners are the ones to perform the procedure using specialized instruments.

When doing the procedure, the pressure or force used can be adjusted depending on how much necrotic tissue needs to be removed. The specific type of instrument used can be regulated to control the force of lavage. Practitioners performing the procedure must be aware of any pain felt by the patient during the process to make necessary adjustments.

If the patient feels any pain, analgesic medications can be administered to relieve it. Before the procedure, topical analgesic solution can also be applied to the wound. Patients may also be given medications about half an hour to manage the pain. Antibiotics may be added to the saline solution if signs of infection begin to show.

In this case, the bag of saline solution should be warmed to help make the healing process faster. Physiologically, the wound bed may cool down which can slow down healing. To counteract this effect, it is advised to warm the saline solution before application. With this procedure done, patients can have better wound healing as the site becomes free of debris, tissue, and organisms.

This technique costs less unlike other methods. For such reasons, this is used in different clinical settings. Some hospitals practice this as part of their bedside care. This is also applied in long term care settings, small clinics, and outpatient departments. Patients who need wound cleaning daily, weekly, or whenever necessary can be treated by practitioners.

As this procedure is performed a lot of times, there are now devices specifically designed for it. These are precision instruments for wound cleaning. Such instruments can effectively remove necrotic tissues, bacteria, and foreign material. While these are mainly used for wounds, these can also be used for debriding bone surfaces during orthopedic surgeries.

Healing is of utmost importance for any patient with a condition. When dealing with wounds, one significant procedure is pulse lavage which helps promote better healing. Patients would require effective methods that would manage their condition. With experienced practitioners performing this procedure, this can be done correctly thereby allowing faster recovery of the patient.




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