Home-use laser and light devices for the skin: an update.

Over the past several years, a number of home-use laser and light skin devices have been introduced for various indications, including photorejuvenation, hair growth, hair removal and acne treatment. Although these devices allow for privacy and a significant cost advantage, they are typically underpowered and afford lower efficacy than their in-office counterparts. A number of these devices have recently received FDA clearance. Although large clinical trials are lacking, dermatologists should familiarize themselves with the various options to help patients assess their clinical value.

Immediate skin grafting of sub-acute and chronic wounds debrided by hydrosurgery.

A wound bed may be prepared by various non-surgical debridements using autolytic, biological or enzymatic techniques. These are all effective in selective wounds but tend to be time consuming. Surgical debridement is not selective since healthy collateral tissue is also removed. Physical debridement uses whirlpool therapy to slough off necrotic tissues - the saline which comes out of the hand piece if vapourized over the wound - and therefore disseminates contaminated droplets. Hydrosurgery combines physical and surgical debridement but does not have their drawbacks. Water dissection works by using a high-pressure jet of sterile saline that travels parallel to the wound and creates a Venturi effect, thus enabling the selective removal of necrotic tissues without dissemination of contaminants. In this study, the authors report on 167 sub-acute and chronic wounds from 155 patients treated under general anaesthesia by hydrosurgery (Versajet). Of these, 95% of the debrided wounds were immediately covered with an autologous meshed graft. Compared to other debridement techniques, hydrosurgery has two main advantages: namely its tissue selectivity and its high percentage of successful engraftment after immediate skin grafting.

An update on stoma appliance flanges and base-plates.

Coping with a stoma can be difficult for many reasons; leakage and skin breakdown are two common problems faced by ostomates (people with a stoma). A flange or base-plate adheres to the patient's abdomen. A secure and well designed flange is essential to the ostomate when adjusting to their newly formed stoma. Selecting the correct type of appliance and flange is an important part of holistic assessment. This article is the second in a series of three and focuses on the newer flanges that are available. It can be difficult for community nurses to keep abreast of all the new developments within the stoma appliance field; therefore, this article aims to highlight some of the key aspects concerning the functionality of available flanges.

Acoustic pressure wound therapy in the treatment of stage II pressure ulcers.

Pressure ulcers are localized skin injuries secondary to unrelieved pressure or friction. Patients with immobility issues are at increased risk for developing pressure ulcers. In 2004, stricter federal regulations for prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers in institutional settings--eg, long-term care facilities--were introduced. Effective, low-cost treatments for pressure ulcers are needed; acoustic pressure wound therapy (APWT), a noncontact, low-frequency, therapeutic ultrasound system, is one option. A retrospective case series of six long-term care patients (two men and one woman, age range 61 to 92 years), each with one Stage II pressure ulcer, is presented. Acoustic pressure wound therapy was provided as an adjunct to standard treatment that included balsam of Peru/castor oil/trypsin ointment, hydrogel, hydrocolloid dressings, silver dressings, and offloading. Outcomes (days to healing) were determined through changes in wound dimensions. Study participants each received APWT for 3 to 4 minutes three to four times weekly. In four of the six wounds, the average number of days to healing was 22. One of the two remaining patients discontinued treatment at 95% healed; treatment for the sixth patient was ongoing due to hospitalization that delayed APWT. In a long-term care setting, APWT added to standard of care may accelerate healing of Stage II pressure ulcers.

Solutions, techniques and pressure in wound cleansing.

This information on best practice discusses the evidence on the use of solutions, techniques and pressure in wound cleansing. The article has been reproduced with the permission of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The article (JBI 2006a), which updates and supersedes the 2003 information sheet of the same name, has been derived from a systematic review conducted in 2004 (Fernandez et al 2004). The primary references on which this information sheet is based are available in the systematic review reports to members of the JBI via the website: www.joannabriggs.edu.au

Prevalence of silver resistance in bacteria isolated from diabetic foot ulcers and efficacy of silver-containing wound dressings.

Silver dressings are used to manage wounds at risk of infection or locally infected. This in vitro study was conducted to assess the prevalence of silver resistance genes in 112 bacterial isolates obtained from the diabetic foot ulcers of patients attending the Diabetic Foot Clinic at Tameside General Hospital, UK. Using polymerase chain reaction to screen for three silver-resistance transcriptional units--silE, silS and silP--two silver-resistant bacteria were identified; both are strains of Enterobacter cloacae, an organism rarely implicated as a primary pathogen in chronic wounds. No recognized wound pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus-24 isolates and Pseudomonas aeruginosa-nine isolates) were found to contain silver-resistant genes. Analysis of the efficacy of silver-containing dressings on the silver-resistant strains of Enterobacter cloacae using confocal laser microscopy showed that, despite evidence of genetic resistance to silver, all strains were killed following a maximum of 48 hours of exposure to the dressings. Results suggest that presence of silver resistance genes is rare and that genetic resistance does not necessarily translate to phenotypic resistance to silver. While silver resistance in wound care should be monitored, the threat of widespread resistance is low and silver-containing dressings remain an extremely important tool in managing wound infection.

The selection of skin care products for use in hyperbaric chamber may depend on flammability acceptability indices score.

PURPOSE: Current protocols call for stopping adjunctive skin care treatments during hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) because the hyperbaric environment is considered unsafe for skin care products. The elevated oxygen fraction and the increased pressure in the hyperbaric chamber dramatically increase the flammability potential of materials, leading to the need for rigorous standards to prevent flame ignition. A scientific method of evaluating the flammability risks associated with skin care products would be helpful. Several skin care products were tested, using established industrial techniques for determining flammability potential with some modification. The information obtained from these tests can help clinicians make more rational decisions about which topical products can be used safely on patients undergoing HBOT. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Wendell Hull & Associates conducted independent studies, comparing the oxygen compatibility for leading skin care products. Oxygen compatibility was determined using autogenous ignition temperature (AIT), oxygen index (OI), and heat of combustion (HoC) testing. AIT, a relative indication of a material's propensity for ignition, is the minimum temperature needed to cause a sample to self-ignite at a given pressure and oxygen concentration. OI, a relative indication of a material's flammability, is the minimum oxygen percentage that, when mixed with nitrogen, will sustain burning. HoC is the absolute value of a material's energy release when burning, if ignition occurs. Products with a high AIT, a high OI, and a low HoC are more compatible in an oxygen-enriched atmosphere (OEA). An acceptability index (AI) based on these 3 factors was calculated for the products, so the testers could rank overall material compatibility in OEAs (Lapin A. Oxygen Compatibility of Materials. International Institute of Refrigeration Commission Meeting; Brighton, England; 1973). RESULTS: Test results for the skin products varied widely. The AIT, OI, HoC, and AI were determined for each product under described circumstances. The AIT results indicate that all products in 99.5% oxygen concentration under pressure will ignite and that a pattern based on the absence or presence of petroleum-based ingredients does not seem to exist. Products containing petrolatum, mineral oil, paraffin, and paraffin wax had a HoC that equaled or exceeded the HoC of gasoline, whereas products without petroleum-based ingredients had a significantly lower HoC. The OI of skin products not containing petrolateum-based ingredients was significantly higher than the OI of products containing it. The AI values the OI as the most important value: the higher the AI, the more acceptable the product is for use with oxygen. The silicone-containing, petroleum-free products received an AI up to 25 times higher than the petrolatum-based products. These findings suggest a wide variation in the safety profiles of skin products. Skin products being considered for use in an OEA should be screened for flammability risks. This screening will allow informed decisions about the fire safety of the products. Further research is indicated.

Using wound bed preparation to heal a malignant fungating wound: a single case study.

Full healing was achieved within eight weeks in a malignant fungating wound using the principles of the TIME paradigm. This concept appears to provide a structured and systematic approach for managing such non-healing wounds.

Silver deposition and tissue staining associated with wound dressings containing silver.

Argyria is the general term used to denote a clinical condition in which excessive administration and deposition of silver causes a permanent irreversible gray-blue discoloration of the skin or mucous membranes. The amount of discoloration usually depends on the route of silver delivery (ie, oral or topical administration) along with the body's ability to absorb and excrete the administered silver compound. Argyria is accepted as a rare dermatosis but once silver particles are deposited, they remain immobile and may accumulate during the aging process. Topical application of silver salts (eg, silver nitrate solution) may lead to transient skin staining. To investigate their potential to cause skin staining, two silver-containing dressings (Hydrofiber and nanocrystalline) were applied to human skin samples taken from electively amputated lower limbs. The potential for skin discoloration was assayed using atomic absorption spectroscopy. When the dressings were hydrated with water, a significantly higher amount of silver was released from the nanocrystalline dressing compared to the Hydrofiber dressing (P <0.005), which resulted in approximately 30 times more silver deposition. In contrast, when saline was used as the hydration medium, the release rates were low for both dressings and not significantly different (silver deposition was minimal). Controlling the amount of silver released from silver-containing dressings should help reduce excessive deposition of silver into wound tissue and minimize skin staining.

Randomized crossover comparison of adhesively coupled colostomy pouching systems.

Ostomy pouching systems affect well being and quality of life, making selection of the appropriate system a key element of ostomy care. Several innovative adhesively coupled, two-piece systems are on the market. They feature flexible low profiles, allowing pouch removal/replacement without changing the skin barrier or wafer. This facilitates inspection or pouch changes without disrupting peristomal skin. Because few controlled trials compare pouching system effectiveness, a prospective, randomized open-label, crossover study was conducted. Under the supervision of ostomy care nurses in six outpatient clinics in Germany, clinical performance of and patient preferences for two adhesively coupled, closed-end pouching systems were compared during normal use. One is a gelatin/pectin-based skin barrier sealed to the pouch with a company-specific adhesive coupling technology (System E); the other, a grooved base plate wafer adhesive pouch coupling system (System F). Seventeen attributes and seven end-of-study measures that included comfort, flexibility, wear time, ease of removal, and overall performance were assessed. Informed, consenting participants were randomly assigned to use one system for five skin barrier/wafer changes or up to 15 days and subsequently switched to the alternative system for a similar period. The 39 participants used a total of 1,645 pouches and 342 skin barriers. All were found safe as determined by incidence and nature of the reported peristomal skin problems, subject withdrawals, and adverse events for both systems. However, System E provided longer pouch wear times (P < 0.01). End-phase ratings favored System E on 10 of the 17 attributes (P < 0.04) and System Fon none. More participants preferred System E on all seven end-of-study measures, five significantly (comfort, flexibility, wear time, ease of removal, and overall performance; (P < 0.02). These participant-reported, ostomy-related outcomes underscore the importance of product evaluation and selection for persons with an ostomy.

Understanding wound dressings: alginates.

A variety of wound dressing groups is currently available on prescription. In a series of six articles, Jacqui Fletcher looks at the different groups of dressings, their composition, and indications for use. This first article looks at alginates. The second article in the series discusses foam dressings, and will appear in the Wound Care Supplement of 7 June.

The antimicrobial activity of maggots: in-vivo results.

In the literature maggot therapy is discussed as a promising and potent form of debridement therapy. The number of maggots needed to debride a wound is estimated at 10 per cm2, and more in case of a higher percentage of necrosis or slough. In the authors' hospital, from March 1999 to May 2002, 16 patients were successfully treated with maggot therapy. The average maggot treatment time was 27 days, with an average of seven maggot changes. Most patients were treated for osteomyelitis, with trauma being the leading aetiological factor. In accordance with in-vitro findings, maggot therapy was found to be more effective in gram-positive infected wounds. Gram-negative bacteria are cultured more often after maggot treatment than before it (p=0.001). The opposite effect was found for gram-positive infected wounds (non-significant p=0.07). In vivo maggots seem to be less effective against gram-negative infected wounds. The authors believe that a higher number of maggots is needed not only for a larger wound or a wound with a higher percentage covered with slough, but also for a wound infected with gram-negative bacteria.

Intrasite Gel and Intrasite Conformable: the hydrogel range.

Wound management can be a confusing area of nursing practice. Even when an holistic patient assessment has been undertaken healthcare professionals frequently ask for guidance when faced with choosing the most appropriate wound management product. This article reviews two hydrogels from Smith & Nephew Healthcare--Intrasite Gel and Intrasite Conformable, which is the latest addition to the hydrogel range.