Wound cleansing and irrigation as a prerequisite for healing: how to clean wounds, why it matters, what type of solution to use
Without wound cleansing, which includes irrigation or mechanical rinsing of the wound bed, healing may be severely compromised. This vital aspect of wound care is the first step in promoting the natural healing process.
Why wound cleansing matters
A healthy wound bed is essential to support the body’s wound healing process.
As explained in the M.O.I.S.T. concept (an educational tool for healthcare professionals developed by the umbrella organisation of German-speaking wound healing societies), wound tissue management is a vital factor in wound health. It involves cleaning and preparing the wound bed for healing by removing dead cells and tissue, which can be achieved through different types of debridement.1
An effective wound cleansing solution (or irrigating solution) will irrigate the wound, helping facilitate mechanical removal of microorganisms and cell debris and help keep healing on track.2
Compared to swabbing or bathing, wound irrigation is considered the most consistently effective method of wound cleansing.3
The M.O.I.S.T concept.1
How do you irrigate a wound?
Wound irrigation is the steady flow of a solution across an open wound surface to achieve wound hydration, to remove deeper debris, and to assist with the visual examination⁴.
How do wound cleansers support natural healing and help reduce infection?
Wound cleansers remove barriers to healing. They do this through the mechanical effect of irrigating the wound, which can reduce the risk of infection2 by removing microorganisms and cell debris.
Cleansing and irrigating the wound in this way also reduces the maladour associated with necrotic tissue or bacterial colonisation in the wound bed.5
Are all wound cleansers equally safe and effective?
In the past, healthcare professionals frequently had to choose between:
- cleansers such as soap and water or saline solutions that are safe to use but ineffective against some pathogens, and
- more effective but extremely harsh solutions that may damage cells and potentially disturb the healing process
Fortunately, there is now a better solution to wound cleansing: Granudacyn®, an effective wound irrigation solution that:
- can be safely used to clean all wounds
- is biocompatible
- helps promote uninterrupted natural healing for improved patient wellbeing
What should you look for in a wound cleanser?
Safe and effective cleansing, including the irrigation and mechanical debridement of wounds, requires a solution that:
- is effective and suitable for the wound in question
- can be applied to sensitive tissues (if appropriate) without causing harm
- is biocompatible, meaning that it has a positive benefit-to-risk ratio6
- has been properly stored and is within its use date
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References
- Dissemond, J, et al. (2017) M.O.I.S.T. – a concept for the topical treatment of chronic wounds. Journal of the German Society of Dermatology.
- Edwards-Jones V, Flanagan M, and Wolcott R (2015) Technological advancements in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. Wounds Int 6(2):47–51.
- Ennis WJ, Valdes W, Salzman S, Fishman D, Meneses P. (2004) Trauma and wound care 291-307.
- Allen G (2021) Wound irrigation, Medscape (available at https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1895071-overview?form=fpf), updated 27 August.
- Martínez-De Jesús FR, Ramos-De la Medina A, Remes-Troche JM, Armstrong DG, Wu SC, Lázaro Martínez JL, Beneit-Montesinos JV (2007) Efficacy and safety of neutral pH superoxidised solution in severe diabetic foot infections. Int Wound J. Dec 4(4):353-362. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-481X.2007.00363.x. Epub 2007 Oct 22. PMID: 17953678; PMCID: PMC7951458.
- Severing AL, Rembe JD, Koester V, Stuermer EK (2019) Safety and efficacy profiles of different commercial sodium hyprochlorite/
hypoclorous acid solutions (NaClO/HClO): antimicrocial efficay, cytotoxic impact and physicochemical parameters in vitro. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Feb. 74(2): 365–372.