[ferrchr]

In recent articles I have read moisture seems to be a large contributing factor to pressure ulcers. Does anybody have experience using products that not only relieve pressure but moisture, or what do you currently use for incontinence problems with patients? Thanks!

[LiverpoolJane]

I have not come across the ideal dressing that will relieve pressure and reduce dryness - the only thing I know that can achieve this is the air fluidised therapy - the pressure relief it achieves is the same as floating in the Red Sea and any moisture is drawn away from the patient into the soda lime crystals under the cover. This is used to treat burns patients and some people with really problematic pressure sores. It can also absorb some incontinence - but is not intended to be used as a toilet!
The things we use where I work are the use of barriers - cavalon for areas at risk, only cleaning up incontinent pts with water - no soaps or those sprays which dry out the skin. We have a faecal catheterisation system - cannot remember what it is called just now - and it can only be used for a liquid faecel incontinence..
I have seen some areas that use the foam dressings, but I'm not really sure if they have a real pressure relieving affect, and as we all know keeping a saral dressing in situ compounded with incontinence is no easy task.

[mahjia]

way back when i was a student, i saw a medical stud cleaning the pressure area with a so-called ZONROX, a chemical used to remove stains from cloths. they only explain it quite, that it contain some mineral (never had the chance to figure it out) that'll help heal the sore fast.
honeybee also is being used and correct me if im wrong, to rebuild the tissues and the muscles. they say, honeybee contain huge proteins and as we all know, protein 'bulks' our body
bt as the saying goes, prevention is better than cure: do log-rolling every 2hrs, masssage prominent bone areas, keep patient 'dry' and out of moisture.