24 Standard Treatments for Skin Diseases and Wounds – 70% calendula tincture – Ringer’s solution – Wet dressings – Sterilized and unsterilized gloves – Sterile syringes, cannulas (select size according to wound type and size) – Sterile gauze compresses, sterile pledgets – Dressing materials (gauze and adhesive tape) – Anatomic/surgical forceps – Wash hands with disinfectant and put on unsterilized gloves. – Take off the old dressing and inspect the wound, noting the color of the exudate, the presence or absence of necrosis and the extent, smell, color, and temperature of the wound. – Wash the hands again and put on sterile gloves. – Use forceps to clean the wound with pledgets and compresses soaked with Ringer–calendula solution. – Fill the wound with soaked wet dressings, making sure the entire wound surface is covered. Cover with 1 to 2 layers of sterile compresses, secure with tape.
24.1 Ringer–Calendula Mixture for Wet Dressings
General Considerations
See Calendula (Calendula officinalis L.), p. 90.
Indications: Poor wound healing, dirty wounds, leg ulceration, radiation ulcers, decubitus ulcers grade II/III, complex wound healing disorders (e. g., in diabetes), poor healing of amputation stumps, surgical wounds.
Contraindications: Allergy to composite plants.
Action: Disinfectant, anti-inflammatory, promotes the development of granulation tissue, stimulates the lymph system. Ringer’s solution contains potassium. Wet dressings soaked in Ringer’s solution provide the calcium needed for granulation tissue development and maintain the moist wound environment needed for wound cleanliness for more than 12 hours.
Materials
If patient is allergic to adhesive tape, use hydrocolloid dressings instead.
Procedure
Preparation: Prepare a mixture of 10% Ringer’s solution and calendula tincture (see Table 3 for mixing ratio). Draw into an ear syringe bulb, apply to Tender-Wet compresses, and allow to soak for 3 minutes.
Application
Frequency of treatment: The dressings should be changed every 12 hours according to recommendation of the manufacturer. Some wet dressings only have to be changed every 24 hours. This is useful when the wound is relatively clean.
Dressing Size | Total Volume | Mixing Ratio |
10 × 10 cm | 60 mL 51 mL | Ringer’s solution + 9 mL calendula tincture |
7.5 × 7.5 cm | 30 mL 25.5 mL | Ringer’s solution + 4.5 mL calendula tincture |
5.5 × 5.5 cm | 15 mL 12.5 mL | Ringer’s solution + 1.5 mL calendula tincture |
4 × 4 cm | 10 mL 8.5 mL | Ringer’s solution + 1.5 mL calendula tincture |
24.2 Ringer–Calendula Dressing for Deep Wounds
General Considerations
See Calendula (Calendula officinalis L.), p. 90.
Indications: Deep decubitus ulcers stage III/IV, wounds with frayed edges and deep pockets, wounds due to tumors, weeping deep wounds, proctological wounds, deep radiation ulcers, bite and stab wounds.
Contraindications: Allergy to calendula, dry wounds.
Action
– See Ringer–Calendula Mixture for Wet Dressings, p. 316.
– Sorbalgon is a loose, non-woven dressing made of high-quality calcium alginate fibers. It has an excellent gel-forming capacity. Sorbalgon dressings have a high absorption capacity: they absorb wound exudate at a rate of approx. 10 mL per gram of dressing. Germs and detritus are taken up into the fibers and kept inside the gel upon transformation. This ensures effective wound cleansing and significant germ reduction.
– Cutinova foam is a hydrophilic dressing that stimulates natural wound cleansing and regulates moisture and heat regulation without sticking to the wound.
Materials
– Ringer’s solution, 70% calendula tincture
– Sorbalgon dressing, either 5 × 5 cm or 10 × 10 cm, depending on the size of the wound
– Cutinova foam dressing (available in sizes 5 × 6 cm, 10 × 10 cm, and 15 × 20 cm) or similar product
– Disinfectant hand cleaner, 2 pairs of sterile gloves
– 2 sterile 10-mL syringes, cannula
– Forceps, pledgets, tape
Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel
Full access? Get Clinical Tree
