Opinion on Purewick for edematous weeping patient

[Shvarra]

I had an obese patient that at one point in time had femoral lines.  Patient was on massive amounts of fluids/pressors and became edematous +4 pitting/ weeping from the sites.  Has anyone heard of using purewick to prevent massive drainage and continuous soaking of chucks/pads?  Thoughts on this?  TYIA

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

You might want to check with the wound Ostomy nurse's forum. Even though no wound is present they are the experts at managing exudate. Also with that much exudate skin breakdown is likely to result. I personally love Calcium exudate which does come in sheets. It absorbs something like 10 times it's weight. 

When I worked sniff we had a case similar to yours and our physician sent the patient out to acute hospital to be diuresed which helped tremendously. Not sure if this would be appropriate in the case you mention. Though I have done a fair bit of wound care I am not familiar with the product you mention. I'll to look it up.

Hppy

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

It looks like Purewick is for managing urinary incontinence. Not sure how that would manage edema at a peripheral site?

 

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

Depending on exactly where the fem site was it's possible that the purewick would stay in place. It shouldn't cause any other skin issues with the low suction, but is the patient immobile enough to have the suction line stay in place? I've used wound managers/ostomy appliances for similar drainage in the past, but it's likely your site is in a fold so that makes it's tougher. Good luck!

[CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN]

Could try pouching them with ostomy or fistula pouches, ones with drains. Purewick would want to be wedged into areas (like between labia) so may not get a good enough seal to help with drainage.