Using Pulse Lavage For Wound Management

By Teri Farley


Pulse lavage is type of mechanical hydrotherapy that makes use of saline solution to debride and clean wounds. The solution is pressurized to irrigate necrotic tissues and wound debris. This is often used along with suction to remove the irrigation solution. In many clinical settings, this procedure is performed in patients with deep wounds to allow successful healing.

Wound cleaning is obviously important for many reasons. Any kind of wound should be properly managed to start the healing process sooner. With proper management of the wound, the patient's risk for infection will be reduced. It is very important to remove necrotic tissue and organisms such as bacteria from the wound. This way, the healing process can begin to progress.

The primary purpose of this procedure is to promote growth of tissue. For this to happen, other debris on the wound must be removed without harming normal underlying tissues. The negative pressure from the suction can also stimulate granulation of tissue. This procedure is done with the use of specific instruments to be operated by trained practitioners.

When performing the procedure, the force or pressure applied may be adjusted depending on the amount of necrotic tissue that has to be removed. Adjustments can be made through the instrument used for the lavage. Practitioners in charge of the procedure should know if the patient feels any pain before, during, or after the procedure to make adjustments as necessary.

If there is pain, administration of analgesic medications would be necessary. Topical analgesic solution can be applied before the procedure to manage pain. The patient may take medications half an our prior to be relieved. If signs of infection begin to show, it is also necessary to administer antibiotics by adding it to the solution used.

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 procedure costs less compared to other methods. For this reason, this is practiced in many clinical settings. This may be performed as bedside care in hospitals, long term care facilities, outpatient departments, physical therapy settings, and small clinics. Patients who need daily or weekly wound care can undergo this procedure. This can be performed as prescribed or whenever necessary.

With this procedure often performed nowadays, devices have been made for this exact purpose. Precision instruments are now designed for effective wound cleaning. These tools are used to remove foreign materials, bacteria, and necrotic tissue. While these are primarily intended for wound care, practitioners can also use these during orthopedic operations to debride surface of bones.

Healing is very important for any patient suffering from any condition. When it comes to wounds, it is also important to realize the significance of pulse lavage. Patients would need effective methods to manage their condition. With skills of healthcare practitioners, this procedure can be performed the correct way thereby helping patients heal faster.




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