Honey-impregnated Dressings for Treating Challenging Dehisced Surgical Wounds

A Clinical Minute: Honey-impregnated Dressings for Treating Challenging Dehisced Surgical Wounds

Volume 61 - Issue 10 - October 2015,
Ostomy Wound Manage

Dehisced surgical wounds can cause many care providers to hit the panic button. These wounds can quickly go downhill: they stall in the inflammatory phase and are usually associated with increased costs of care and length of stay.

Common risk factors for wound dehiscence include obesity, smoking, diabetes, advanced age, low serum albumin, and autoimmune disease. If one or more of these risk factors is present, advanced modalities such as anti-infective surgical dressings, absorptive alginate dressings, or negative pressure are viable options to enhance moist wound healing and keep infection at bay. For dehisced wounds where slough and necrotic tissue are present, surgical or topical debridement also may be used to remove impediments to healing...