Article Focus: Wound Cleansing and the Irrijet DS
Submitted by Kathryn F. Humphrey
Ackrad Laboratories, Inc.
70 Jackson Drive Cranford, NJ 07016Based on the overall assessment of the patients and their wound status, wound care clinicians must facilitate the physiological process of healing by implementing the basic principles of wound management into their care.
Wound cleansing is an essential component of the management of acute and chronic wounds, especially those healing by secondary and tertiary closure that are in the inflammatory phase of healing. Examples of such wounds may include the dehiesed or post-surgical wound, infected wounds, and chronic wounds such as full thickness pressure ulcers.
The Irrijet DS is an appropriate system for cleansing wounds that need to be irrigated 1-3 times daily in order to facilitate the removal of bacteria, debris, foreign material and necrotic tissue from the wound surface.
The Irrijet DS system spikes into an IV bag and allows the proper amount of saline to be easily and effectively delivered to the wound surface. The Irrijet DS delivers the saline at a mechanical force of 7.6 psi. The AHCPR Guidelines list the Irrijet DS as a device that delivers a force within the recommended 4-15 psi.
The system contains a Splatter-Guard to reduce the risk of splash-back for the wound care clinician.
Studies show that the Irrijet DS system maintains its sterility for a period of 5 days. The system is very cost effective due to the utilization over a period of days and the availability of multiple tips and Splatter-Guards.
For further information, please contact Kathryn Humphrey at Ackrad Laboratories, Inc. (908)276-6390.
Return to Main Page, Wound Care Institute Newsletter, Fall 1996
