Using Pulse Lavage For Wound Management

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 main purpose of the procedure is to aid in the growth of granulation tissues. In order for this to happen, wound debris should be removed without damaging normal underlying tissues. Negative pressure of the suction will also cause stimulation of granulation tissue. Specialized instruments are used to for this procedure and these will be operated by skilled practitioners.

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 the patient feels any pain, analgesic medications can be administered to relieve it. Before the procedure, topical analgesic solution can also be applied to the wound. Patients may also be given medications about half an hour to manage the pain. Antibiotics may be added to the saline solution if signs of infection begin to show.

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 procedure costs less compared to other methods. For this reason, this is practiced in many clinical settings. This may be performed as bedside care in hospitals, long term care facilities, outpatient departments, physical therapy settings, and small clinics. Patients who need daily or weekly wound care can undergo this procedure. This can be performed as prescribed or whenever necessary.

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 an important process for patients suffering from a condition. As for wounds, pulse lavage is a very significant procedure for proper healing. Any patient would need methods that are effective in managing their condition especially if it concerns deep wounds. With skillful healthcare practitioners, the procedure will be performed correctly thereby promoting faster recovery for the patient.




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