Venous leg ulcer management: single use negative pressure wound therapy.

A number of leg ulcer specialist/tissue viability specialists from across the UK were invited to evaluate PICO (Smith and Nephew, Hull) as a treatment for venous leg ulcers also in conjunction with a variety of compression bandages and garments. Patients across 5 sites had PICO applied in conjunction with compression therapy. This group of treating clinicians were then asked to give feedback on the outcome of the patients on whom they had used the new device. All feedback was recorded at a meeting and this was used to create a guideline for use.

PHMB: Utilización del apósito de espuma antimicrobiana (AMD) KendallTM(PHMB 0, 5%) en el tratamiento de las heridas crónicas / PHMB: The role ok KendallTM AMD Antimicrobial Foam Dressing (0.5% PHMB) in the treatment of wounds

Abordamos la parte más problemática del tratamiento de las heridas crónicaso agudas, de acuerdo con los profesionales especializados es la infección de laherida. La sobrecarga bacteriana puede retardar la curación de la herida y disminuirla calidad del paciente como consecuencia del aumento del dolor, delexudado y del posible mal olor. Se han recopilado casos clínicos durante losúltimos 6 meses en una unidad especializada en el cuidado de heridas de loshospitales Doncaster y Bassetlaw, RU. Estos casos ilustran la variedad de tiposde herida que pueden tratarse con éxito con el nuevo apósito de Espumaantimicrobiano KendallTM AMD (PHMB 0,5%). Se pudo concluir que elapósito de Espuma KendallTM AMD actúa bien como antimicrobiano y comoproducto de vendaje moderno. Su utilización disminuye la carga bacteriana altiempo que consigue la absorción del exudado y el mantenimiento de un ambienteóptimo para la curación de la herida (AU)

The most troublesome part of wound healing according to the care practitioners isthe Wound infection. The presence of excess bacteria in the wound can lead to delayedhealing that lead to a reduced quality of life for the patient due to increasedpain, higher exudates levels and potential malodor. The following patient case reporthave been collated over the past six months in a specialist wound care clinicin Doncaster and Bassetlaw, UK. These cases illustrate the range of wound typesthat have been successfully treated with the new KendallTM AMD AntimicrobialFoam dressing (PHMB 0,5%). The conclusion was that KendallTM AMD Foamdressing functions well as an antimicrobial and a modern wound dressing (..) (AU)

PEG site infections: a novel use for Actisorb Silver 220.

Any breach in the integrity of the skin, such as occurs in wounds and incisions, and intravascular catheters, can act as a portal for the ingress of microorganisms and thereby predispose the patient to infection. The infection, if unchecked, can put the patient at risk of bacteraemia. We have reviewed the care of percutaneous enterostomal gastrostomy (PEG) sites in our trust hospital and in the local community and have implemented practice guidelines to reduce infection risks. These include protocols for skin care around PEG sites, and the use of an antibacterial dressing - Actisorb Silver 220 - to manage local colonization. The preliminary results of this exercise indicate that patient comfort can be improved, hypergranulation reduced, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization and infection eradicated.