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.

Wounds can occur for a variety of reasons. For example, a person who is immobile or in a nursing home may develop bedsores because he or she is unable to rise from bed to ambulate and complete other activities. Other wounds may be caused by burns, cuts, or any number of other unfortunate incidents.

Pulse lavage is a phrase used to describe irrigating wounds through the delivery of a water-based solution. This is generally completed under a particular amount of pressure, and an electric device is typically utilized to transport the irrigation fluid. During the procedure, simultaneous pressure is applied to the area, and then the irrigation solution is suctioned from the wound. This technique eliminates debris and potentially infectious substances and eradicates them from the surface of the wound.

Additionally, irrigation and suction can be delivered to the area simultaneously. During this procedure, the water irrigates one section of the wound while the other area is being suction. However, it may be challenging to implement this technique on wounds that feature a narrow circumference.

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.

This technique is associated with different irrigation pressure levels. Some clinical researchers claim that only low-pressure should be applied when irrigating a wound, while other state that high-pressure irrigation is not any more dangerous than the aforementioned pressure. The level of pressure used will depend on the severity of the wound, as well as the advice of the patient's attending physician. In addition, research has indicated that the tissue surrounding the injury will be protected from foreign bodies, such as bacteria, following pressurized irrigation.

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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