Editorial Staff

Editor Barbara Zeiger

Assistant Editor Lauren Mateja

Web Content Coordinator Katherine Blessing

Editorial Correspondence

Barbara Zeiger, Editor, OWM

HMP Communications, 70 E Swedesford Rd
Suite 100, Malvern PA, 19355

Telephone: (800) 237-7285 or
(610) 560-0500, ext. 4244
Fax: (610) 560-0501

Email: bzeiger@hmpcommunications.com
April 2014 ISSN 1943-2720 | Volume 60 - Issue 4

An In vitro Analysis of the Effects of Various Topical Antimicrobial Agents on Methicillin-resistant and Methicillin-sensitive Strains of Staphylococcus aureus

Friday, 04/04/14 | 9266 reads

Infections of acute and chronic wounds have a substantial negative impact on patient outcomes. Because bacterial resistance to traditional antimicrobials continues to increase, an in vitro study was conducted to examine current sensitivities of various methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MSSA) to commonly used topical antimicrobial agents....

Keywords: 
Staphylococcal skin infection
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus auerus
drug resistance
Bacteria
wound

A Prospective Two-armed Trial Assessing the Efficacy and Performance of a Silver Dressing Used Postoperatively on High-risk, Clean Surgical Wounds

Friday, 04/04/14 | 5456 reads

Surgical site infections (SSI) are a known complication of surgery. Silver-containing wound treatments are popular, despite the lack of evidence of SSI reduction. A two-armed study was conducted between July 2007 and November 2008 to evaluate the efficacy and ease of use of a postoperative silver dressing....

Keywords: 
linical study
surgical site infection
Dressings
silver dressing

A Retrospective Comparison of Perforator and Rotation Flaps for the Closure of Extensive Stage IV Sacral Pressure Ulcers

Friday, 04/04/14 | 5695 reads

Wound coverage using a flap, most commonly a perforator or rotation flap, often is required for the closure of extensive sacral pressure ulcers. To assess the duration of wound healing and postsurgical complications following two types of surgical closure procedure, perforator and rotation flaps, a retrospective study was conducted among a convenience sample of 20 patients (10 men, 10 women) with Stage IV sacral pressure ulcers....

Keywords: 
case series
pressure ulcers
perforator flap
rotation flap
postsurgical complications

Interchangeable Skin Grafting to Camouflage Self-inflicted Wound Scars on the Dorsal and Volar Forearm: A Case Report

Friday, 04/04/14 | 21763 reads

Scars from self-inflicted wounds to the upper extremities are the hallmark of self-mutilation. They are easy to recognize and difficult to hide. Camouflaging these scars can be an onerous task. In this case study, a 23-year-old woman who has major depressive disorder with comorbid borderline personality disorder presented for scar repair of self-inflicted wounds on the volar and dorsal forearm (each approximately 10 cm2 x 15 cm2)....

Keywords: 
Case Study
self-mutilation
Scars
skin transplantation

From the Editor: Do Overs

Friday, 04/04/14 | 7801 reads

  Can we be 9 years old again for a moment? If you could have a do over — an interlude, a day, a decision you could change — what would it be? Would the decision involve regret (I wish I’d appreciated my grandparents more), a career choice (if I’d majored in Radio, Television, and Film at Temple University, maybe I now would be a lyricist for Disney), or an avoidable mishap (I never should have let our daughter keep an eye on the lamb chops when General Hospital was on)? ...

Pearls for Practice: Hypochlorous Acid and Hydroconductive Dressing Used in Conjunction for Management of Complex Wounds

Friday, 04/04/14 | 3692 reads

  Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a substance in the body that kills invading pathogens by the oxidative burst in neutrophils. It has been demonstrated to decrease bacteria both in vitro and in vivo and to be noncytotoxic.1 Other antiseptics, such as sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide, are cytotoxic to fibroblasts. The HOCl used in this series, Vashe Wound Therapy (SteadMed Medical LLC, Fort Worth, TX), has a pH similar to skin and has been demonstrated to be useful in a variety of wounds.2 ...

Nutrition 411: Managing Low Blood Glucose Levels in Patients Undergoing Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Friday, 04/04/14 | 9220 reads

Studies show all patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) experience a reduction in blood glucose levels compared to prehyperbaric oxygen treatment levels. This expected physiological reaction may result in a range of challenges for both patients and treatment centers, including hypoglycemic events, liability, schedule changes, cancellations, and ultimately delayed healing and a loss of revenue....

Special to OWM: A Caring Tribute

Wednesday, 04/09/14 | 2108 reads

Norma Justus Mash died February 17, 2014. She was a pioneer ET nurse whose passion grew as the specialty developed and proliferated over her lifetime. Over the years, she provided specialty ET nursing services across the spectrum of CARE: she was a Clinician, Administrator, Researcher, and Educator who championed prevention, preservation, prescription, and palliation....

My Scope of Practice: The Industry Side of Passion

Friday, 04/04/14 | 3063 reads

My Scope of Practice usually focuses on wound, ostomy, and continence care providers — professionals serving at the bedside in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and clinics. In this column, we rarely lift the veil between industry and practice to present innovative persons who, rather than personally treat patients, create a product to enhance patient treatment....