What is Mechanical Wound Debridement

Mechanical wound debridement is a treatment to remove dead tissue from a wound. This helps the wound heal.

The treatment involves cleaning the wound (irrigation) and using a pad or gauze (dressing) to remove dead tissue and debris from the wound. There are different types of mechanical wound debridement.

Depending on the wound, you may need to repeat this procedure or change to another form of debridement as your wound starts to heal.

Tell a health care provider about:

• Any allergies you have.
• All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.
• Any blood disorders you have.
• Any medical conditions you have, including any conditions that:
  • Cause a significant decrease in blood circulation to the part of the body where the wound is, such as peripheral vascular disease.
  • Compromise your defense (immune) system or white blood count.
• Any surgeries you have had.
• Whether you are pregnant or may be pregnant.

What are the risks?

Generally, this is a safe procedure. However, problems may occur, including:

• Infection.
• Bleeding.
• Damage to healthy tissue in and around your wound.
• Soreness or pain.
• Failure of the wound to heal.
• Scarring.

What happens before the procedure?

You may be given antibiotic medicine to help prevent infection.

What happens during the procedure?

• Your health care provider may apply a numbing medicine (topical anesthetic) to the wound.
• Your health care provider will irrigate your wound with a germ-free (sterile), salt–water (saline) solution. This removes debris, bacteria, and dead tissue.
• Depending on what type of mechanical wound debridement you are having, your health care provider may do one of the following:
  • Put a dressing on your wound. You may have dry gauze pad placed into the wound. Your health care provider will remove the gauze after the wound is dry. Any dead tissue and debris that has dried into the gauze will be lifted out of the wound (wet-to-dry debridement).
  • Use a type of pad (monofilament fiber debridement pad). This pad has a fluffy surface on one side that picks up dead tissue and debris from your wound. Your health care provider wets the pad and wipes it over your wound for several minutes.
  • Irrigate your wound with a pressurized stream of solution such as saline or water.
• Once your health care provider is finished, he or she may apply a light dressing to your wound.

The procedure may vary among health care providers and hospitals.

What happens after the procedure?

• You may receive medicine for pain.
• You will continue to receive antibiotic medicine if it was started before your procedure.

Mechanical Wound Debridement, Care After

Refer to this sheet in the next few weeks. These instructions provide you with information about caring for yourself after your procedure. Your health care provider may also give you more specific instructions. Your treatment has been planned according to current medical practices, but problems sometimes occur. Call your health care provider if you have any problems or questions after your procedure.

What can I expect after the procedure?

After the procedure, it is common to have:

• Soreness or pain.
• Light bleeding.
• Tightness.
• Skin irritation.

Follow these instructions at home:

Medicines

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• If you were prescribed an antibiotic medicine, take it or apply it as told by your health care provider. Do not stop taking or using the antibiotic even if your condition improves.

Wound care

• Follow instructions from your health care provider about:
  • How to take care of your wound.
  • When and how you should change your dressing. If your dressing is dry and stuck when you try to remove it, moisten or wet the dressing with saline or water so that it can be removed without harming your skin or wound.
  • When you should remove your dressing.
• Check your wound every day for signs of infection. Watch for:
  • More redness or swelling.
  • More fluid or pus.
  • A bad smell.
  • More pain, bleeding, or warmth around the wound.

General instructions

• Eat a healthy diet with lots of protein. Ask your health care provider to suggest the best diet for you.
• Do not smoke. Smoking makes it harder for your body to heal.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.
• Do not take baths, swim, or use a hot tub until your health care provider approves.
• Ask your health care provider what activities are safe for you.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You have a fever.
• Your pain medicine is not helping.
• Your wound is red and swollen.
• You have more bleeding or fluid coming from the wound.
• You have pus coming from your wound after cleaning it.
• You have a bad smell coming from your wound after cleaning it.
• Your wound is not getting better within 1–2 weeks of treatment.
• You develop a new medical condition, such as diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, or a condition that affects your defense (immune) system.