[lovelie_skittle]

Do you think the use of antiseptics such as hydrogen peroxide a practice issue in caring for patients with wound or ulcers?

[JamiRN]

We are taught not to use peroxide on any wound because it affects the healthy tissues (cytotoxic). Use normal saline for cleansing most pressure ulcers. If you can irrigate the area with a 35mL syringe and a 19 gauge needle or angiocath it should remove bacteria without causing trauma to the wound bed. We have used a product by 3M ... I can't think of its name....

[nosonew]

we had a local surgeon who preferred Hydrogen Peroxide, but after going to some wound treatment seminars, it was stated that Hydrogen peroxide HURTS the wound healing process, so we stopped using it. They surgeon was not happy about it, because these people started to heal twice as fast and his $ went down. If it heals faster, they don't have to see him as much, right?

Of course, I still use hydrogen peroxide to INITIALLY clean off a wound on my kids, but that is it.

[apaisRN]

Originally Posted by nosonew

Of course, I still use hydrogen peroxide to INITIALLY clean off a wound on my kids, but that is it.

Out of curiosity why do you do this since we know it is cytotoxic?

I've never used or been ordered to use it - we use saline if a wound needs irrigation and might pack with Dakins or whatever else is ordered. Personally I usually just wash my own wounds with soap and water. I try to avoid antibacterial soap at home too, since we hear so much about resistant bugs.

[nosonew]

Because when I went through that training, they stated for initial irrigation/cleaning it was okay for SMALL wounds. My kids just get a scraped knee or something. Anything deeper than that I would not use it! And, old habits are hard to break!

[apaisRN]

Originally Posted by nosonew

And, old habits are hard to break!

So true.