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Best in Class: Scottsdale Wound Management Guide

Comprehensive pocket handbook offers differential diagnosis and treatment options at your fingertips

Malvern, PA (June 8, 2009) – Proper wound care management has become one of the top concerns for many clinicians across various medical specialties. Treatment is specific to the wound type, the patient and the long-term care plan and requires ongoing assessment. Read More

2009 Author Index

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Non-Accredited Education

Taking the Trauma Out of Burn Trauma
Complimentary On-Demand Webcast
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The Importance of Advanced Dressing Technology in Managing Wounds and the Risk of Infection
Complimentary On-Demand Webcast
Non-Accredited

Heel Pressure Ulcers: A to Z
Complimentary On-Demand Webcast
Non-Accredited

LIVE WEBCAST - Head Over Heels and Butts 3.0
Complimentary On-Demand Webcast
Non-Accredited

“Stretching” Negative Pressure Wound Therapy: Can Dressing Change Interval be Extended in Patients with Open Abdomens?

VOLUME: 53

Issue Number:

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has evolved significantly since its humble beginnings as an improvised vacuum-based surgical wound dressing. Now viewed as a safe, patient- and provider-friendly, effective option in wound management, modern applications of NPWT include treatment of infected surgical wounds, traumatic wounds, open abdominal wounds, diabetic and pressure ulcers, wounds with exposed bone and hardware, burn wounds, and venous stasis ulcers.¹ New applications for NPWT technology continue to evolve and understanding of NPWT dressing-tissue interactions is growing.

The Use of Botulinum Toxin in the Treatment of Refractory Overactive Bladder

VOLUME: 52

Issue Number:

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a symptom complex that comprises urinary urgency, with or without urge urinary incontinence (UUI), and often involves increased urinary frequency and nocturia.¹ Behavioral interventions and recent pharmacological advancements have offered symptom relief in many patients. Botulinum toxin (BTX) has provided an additional alternative in the treatment of refractory OAB.

Patient History and Diagnosis

Ms. M is a 62-year-old woman with severe complaints of urinary frequency, urgency, and rare urgency urinary incontinence. Her initial evalu

Phew! What’s That Smell?

VOLUME: 54

Issue Number:

Odor is a problem in many aspects of wound care. Generally, foul smell relates to anaerobic colonization; the presence of aerobic organisms of gut origin and yeasts also can exacerbate unpleasant smells. Controlling odor or the perception of odor is important to patients and everyone with whom they interact. Patients may acclimate to odors emanating from wounds but remain concerned how others perceive the smell.

A topical metronidazole product can work wonders, eliminating the patient’s wound odors within an hour or so of application. Metronida

Healing Shingles with Moist Occlusive Dressings

Initial presentation of full-thickness black eschar to the upper-right back/shoulder area.

The affected area as it appeared after 4 days of treatment with moist wound healing with hydroactive gel and hydrocolloid.

Pain has been resolved and all eschar is gone 14 days after presentation. The patient is healing well.

Three weeks after initial presentation, the wound is completely healed.

VOLUME: 48

Issue Number:

History and Wound Description

Ms. M, a 69-year-old patient, developed shingles localized to her right back and shoulder area in February 2000. She complained of severe pain. On examination, she had an area of multiple partial- and full-thickness eschar of approximately 10 cm that was dry and sunken below the surface level. Ms. M's skin was dry and black in many areas on her back and posterior shoulder, and a central necrotic major area was dry and hard (see Figure 1). In addition, the eschar was retracting and placing the surrounding normal skin under tension and causing pain.

A First Impression Can Be Deceiving

Ulcer on the right anterior thigh showing inflammation of the periwound with yellow, sloughy base.

Appearance of skin on right inner thigh before ulceration.

Extensive ulceration of the right inner knee with inflamed periwound, black eschar, and yellow slough at the base.

VOLUME: 48

Issue Number:

History
Ms. P was a 64-year-old obese woman with a history of chronic airway obstruction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), depression, and renal insufficiency. She frequently complained of nausea, which was relieved with over-the-counter medications. She was nonambulatory but able to transfer with assistance to a wheelchair, propel her chair, and perform some of her activities of daily living (ADLs). She was admitted to the skilled nursing facility in June 1998 immediately following a hospitalization for cellulitis of the foo

For more information on using oxygen therapy in wound care, please see the April 2010 issue of Today’s Wound Clinic, available at www.todayswoundclinic.com.