Antiseptics & Wound Care

renerian, BSN, RN · Oct 14, 2004

I posted to you on this thread in the home health forum.

renerian

Elly · Nov 25, 2004

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

We have not used HP in ages..They found that it macerated the peri wound area and actually slowed down the healing process.... Normal saline dressings wored much better and the healing time itself was much faster...

webblarsk · Dec 6, 2004

We have not used HP in ages..They found that it macerated the peri wound area and actually slowed down the healing process.... Normal saline dressings wored much better and the healing time itself was much faster...

Same here, we don't use HP at all.

Elly · Dec 7, 2004

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

We have banned hydrogen peroxide for any type of wound care as it damages the good skin and actually damages the ulcer itself

stbernardclub · Dec 7, 2004

NO WAY...HYDROGEN PEROXIDE IS NOT USED TODAY , ITS VERY DAMAGING..WOUNDS SHOULD BE CLEANSED WITH SOAP AND H20/PAT DRY.OR FLUSHED WITH STERILE SALINE....ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE...THEN A DRESSING APPLIED...TELFA FOR NON STICK DSG NEEDS...IF ITS A STAGE 2 DECUBITUS, DUODERM WORKS WELL...IF ITS A STAGE 3 OR 4...WET TO DRY OR PACKING WITH MESALT AND COVERED WITH 4X4'S

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

webblarsk · Dec 7, 2004

NO WAY...HYDROGEN PEROXIDE IS NOT USED TODAY , ITS VERY DAMAGING..WOUNDS SHOULD BE CLEANSED WITH SOAP AND H20/PAT DRY.OR FLUSHED WITH STERILE SALINE....ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE...THEN A DRESSING APPLIED...TELFA FOR NON STICK DSG NEEDS...IF ITS A STAGE 2 DECUBITUS, DUODERM WORKS WELL...IF ITS A STAGE 3 OR 4...WET TO DRY OR PACKING WITH MESALT AND COVERED WITH 4X4'S

I am personally not impressed with Duoderm? Do you have good luck with them?

Elly · Dec 8, 2004

I am personally not impressed with Duoderm? Do you have good luck with them?

It depends on the site the duoderm is applied..If its a coccyx abrasion...They seem to wrinkle and make the abrasion worse... Sometimes ending up with a stage 1 or 2 wound.....

Traveler · Jan 1, 2005

I personally don't like Duoderm that much. Occasionally I will use Duoderm thin. We use Conva-Tec Versiva or Combiderm depending on drainage and I love them both. We have been told by our wd. care nurse to not use 4x4's as a top dressing since it allows pathogens to get into the wound whereas an occlusive dressing does not.

mcmike55 · Jan 1, 2005

Maybe we are talking about two different applications.....but.

After a surgery, wound closed but not dressed, we use peroxide, usually in combination with NS to clean up.

Especially after a long surgery, peroxide really does a nice job cleaning dried blood, etc off the skin.

More than a couple of our surgeons ask for it, or like us to use it for clean up.

Again, this is just one time, right after surgery. Maybe this is a different than more long term, like you all are talking about.

Mike

Traveler · Jan 2, 2005

I don't know about right after surgery. You're right- nothing gets the blood off like h2o2 does. Peroxide for long term wounds though kills off the good cells and is very caustic. It has also been reported to cause air embolism in deep wounds.

bluesky, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2005

In my SICU when we have a really bad gangrene that's been surgically debrided, they get wet 2 dry with this special solution (the name just escapes me right now) that is basically BLEACH. Golly I Just can't remember the darned name!

The only thing I've heard H2O2 used for is hemoccult (that's what hemoccult is, actually) and when a little drop of blood falls onto the pt's white sheets right before change of shift, some of the more "experienced" nurses will drop some peroxide onto it to make it dissapear instead of changing the whole sheet. Apparently this works for nasty NGT output too!