Advantages and Disadvantages of Vacuum Dressing Systems in Wound Care

The assignment explores Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT), commonly known as vacuum or vacuum dressing systems, used in promoting healing for chronic or acute wounds and burns. NPWT employs sub-atmospheric pressures to enhance blood flow and remove fluids from the wound area using sealed dressings connected to a vacuum pump. It shows significant benefits in treating diabetic ulcers and open abdominal wounds like laparotomy by increasing local circulation through continuous application based on wound type. However, it requires frequent dressing changes (two to three times weekly) and involves techniques like open-cell foam dressings with gauze for an effective occlusive seal around the wound site. Additionally, nursing interventions for a patient named Mr. Jones are discussed, focusing on maintaining good skin hygiene through thorough cleaning, encouraging mobility by repositioning every two hours, ensuring proper nutritional intake, and implementing measures to avoid infections. These interventions aim to expedite recovery while minimizing risks of infection or further skin damage.

5. Discuss one (1) contemporary wound management strategy for any wound
patient. Support your answer with evidence-based research. This could be
a new dressing, vac systems, maggot or honey therapy or ANY new wound
strategy. Give both the advantages and disadvantages of your chosen
therapy.
A contemporary wound management strategy includes Negative-pressure would therapy
(NPWT) which is more commonly known as vac or vacuum dressing systems. It is used
for promoting healing in cases of chronic or acute wounds. It is also used in cases of
second and third degree burns (Apelqvist 2008). It makes use of sub-atmospheric
pressures for local wounds by a sealed would dressing connected vacuum pump. The
technique is immensely useful in cases of diabetic ulcers along with open abdominal
wounds as laparotomy. It can highly promote wound healing by making use of sealed
dressing techniques. Drawing out fluids from wounds significantly increases blood flows
to the area, then vacuum continually applied continuously depending on nature of the
wound. IT requires dressings being done two to three times per week. It makes use of
open-cell foam dressing along with gauze to seal an occlusive dressing to containing the
vacuum wound site.
7. What nursing interventions could you put into place to assist Mr. Jones
with the location of his wound, mobility and elimination.
Mr. Jones will be provided good skin hygiene as a nursing intervention for assisting with
wound location, elimination and mobility. Washing thoroughly the spot and patting skin
dry, thereby maintaining clean skin would reduce risks from infections and risks of
dermal trauma to the fragile skin. He will need to be given adequate fluids along with a
nutritious diet that would help him to recover from the wound at a fast pace. He will need
to be moved every two hours and should not lie in a position supine for a prolonged
period of time (Baranoski 2008). In the toilet also he needs to maintain proper hygiene by
wiping from front to back. He needs to be encouraged to undertake simulate normal
mobility and he also needs to be aware regarding site of a growing infection. He needs to
be taught ways and means to tackle such infection to prevent its further growth.

Reference Lists
Apelqvist, J., Armstrong, D. G., Lavery, L. A., & Boulton, A. J. "Resource utilization and
economic costs of care based on a randomized trial of vacuum-assisted closure therapy in
the treatment of diabetic foot wounds." The American Journal of Surgery, 2008: 782-788.
Baranoski, S., & Ayello, E. A. "Wound care essentials: Practice principles." Lippincott Williams
& Wilkins, 2008.