The Use Of Pulse Lavage For Wound Cleansing

By Teri Farley


Pulse lavage is type of mechanical hydrotherapy that makes use of saline solution to debride and clean wounds. The solution is pressurized to irrigate necrotic tissues and wound debris. This is often used along with suction to remove the irrigation solution. In many clinical settings, this procedure is performed in patients with deep wounds to allow successful healing.


Wound cleaning is very important for obvious reasons. These must be properly managed so that the patient can begin with the healing process. Proper management also reduces the risk for infection. Necrotic tissues and bacteria must be removed from the wound bed to make way for the healing process. This way, open wounds can gradually repair and completely heal.

The purpose of this method is to help granulation tissues grow. For this to take place, debris found on the wound should be eliminated without causing harm to normal underlying tissues. The suction also produces negative pressure which stimulates granulation tissues. Trained practitioners are the ones to perform the procedure using specialized instruments.

When performing the procedure, the force or pressure applied may be adjusted depending on the amount of necrotic tissue that has to be removed. Adjustments can be made through the instrument used for the lavage. Practitioners in charge of the procedure should know if the patient feels any pain before, during, or after the procedure to make adjustments as necessary.

If there is pain, administration of analgesic medications would be necessary. Topical analgesic solution can be applied before the procedure to manage pain. The patient may take medications half an our prior to be relieved. If signs of infection begin to show, it is also necessary to administer antibiotics by adding it to the solution used.

In addition, it is also advised to warm the saline solution to be used. This will help speed the healing process. Due to physiologic processes, the wound bed ay cool down which slows the healing. This concern can be addressed by making the solution warm before it is applied. Once the wound is free from organisms, debris, and necrotic tissue, healing can take place.

This technique costs less unlike other methods. For such reasons, this is used in different clinical settings. Some hospitals practice this as part of their bedside care. This is also applied in long term care settings, small clinics, and outpatient departments. Patients who need wound cleaning daily, weekly, or whenever necessary can be treated by practitioners.

As this procedure is performed a lot of times, there are now devices specifically designed for it. These are precision instruments for wound cleaning. Such instruments can effectively remove necrotic tissues, bacteria, and foreign material. While these are mainly used for wounds, these can also be used for debriding bone surfaces during orthopedic surgeries.

Healing is very important for any patient suffering from any condition. When it comes to wounds, it is also important to realize the significance of pulse lavage. Patients would need effective methods to manage their condition. With skills of healthcare practitioners, this procedure can be performed the correct way thereby helping patients heal faster.




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