white skin around wound

[bebop1]

what do you normally do for the white skin around a 'healthy wound'. I have went on call for a different office over the weekend, they are not good for their wound care. this poor patient has been getting daily wound care on this wound forever. wet/dry. I was the one that finally got the wound vac off him two months ago because I told them it was not working. we would change the wound vac every day. he was not but getting maybe 12 hours of 'good suction' everyday...so it was not doing good. now when I say him today, the wound is bigger, and all they are doing is wet/dry with normal saline. they use only a 4x4 to cover it. the whole surrounding skin is white. when I arrived the dressing was soaked. he is a younger guy, he is alone, he is WC bound. if he was bedbound, had people to help him ya the woundvac would maybe work....but it won't. I have used on another patient Biafine before. I had never heard of it before but it was ordered per a wound care hospital then a barrier cream around the wound then an exudry or abd pad. Would this work on this patient? or any other suggestions?

This wound is right by the scrotum, it is 4cmx3.5cmx3cm. And like I have said he lives alone, and needs to transfer from bed/wc/showerchair etc.

any suggestions would be wonderful. and am I correct in saying when the skin right around the wound is white that is from maceration? or too much drainage? or what is that from?

Thanks!!!!!!!

[gaymac]

First off is the wound wet or dry? If wet then you want an absorbent dressing like silvasorb. Then you can add a unna boot. Then after that you can apply ace wraps that will help with the venous return. I have been working as a wound care nurse for the past year and the addage of compresion dressings have helped a great deal.

The moistness is caused by duoderm the Dr ordered and the patient prespires heavily, I am following the Dr's orders, but each time I change the dressing the wound looks worse, Have been able to get him to wear compression stocking most of the day, Guess I can try Ace bandage on

the days he complains his toe is too sore to wear stocking. He goes back to the cardiologist on the 20th maybe he can convence him to return to

the vascular Dr. Thanks for your input