IV solution to clean a wound

Specialties Home Health

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Is NS from an IV bag considered the same as NS for irrigation? Can it be used to flush/irrigate a wound?

I have seen it done as such and was curious.

Also..if this practice is acceptable...at what point should that IV bag of NS solution no longer be accessed for wound flushes/cleaning.

Thanks

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Sterile 0.9% saline is sterile 0.9% saline.

However, I would like to mention that some recent literature I read didn't find any difference in outcomes irrigating with normal saline versus sterile water versus tap water.

If you are using sterile syringes to access the bag (alcohol wipe the port), I don't see why the bag couldn't be used until empty, so long as you're not also using it for IV solution.

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OK...thanks

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