Poster Presentation
Friday, July 13, 2007
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Friday, July 13, 2007
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Qualitative changes in the microbiota of chronic wounds treated with occlusive dressings
Flavia Sampaio Latini Gomes, MS, RN, School of Nursing, Department of Basic Nursing, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Dacle Vilma Carvalho, PhD, RN, College of Nursing, Department of Basic Nursing, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and Elenice D. R. de Paula Lima, RN, PhD, School of Nursing/Dept. ENB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| Learning Objective #1: The learner will be able to discuss a study evaluating changes in the microbiota of chronic wounds treated with occlusive dressings. |
| Learning Objective #2: The learner will be able to discuss results of a low cost chronic wound treatment protocol |
Introduction: There are still many doubts related to wound topic treatment. For instance, doubts about the possibility of topic substances modifying the wound microbiota, and whether this change would facilitate infection.
Objective: This exploratory and prospective study aimed to identify possible changes in the microbiota of wounds treated according to a protocol, and to verify whether these changes facilitate infection hindering the healing process.
Methodology: The study was accomplished among 12 patients treated according to a protocol which establishes the use of occlusive dressings, in a Stomatherapy Unit in a hospital in Brazil. Most of the participants had wounds caused by venous insufficiency and, among these, six had the ulcers for more than six years. The protocol starts with clinical assessment of the patient and his wound, followed by a topic treatment: cleaning the wound with 0.9% sodium chloride solution and applying permeable or semi permeable occlusive dressing to keep an adequate environment which facilitates cicatrisation. To collect the data, two swab cultures were done in two different moments: first, during the patient’s first assessment and second, during the 12th dressing change, approximately 45 days after starting treatment.
Findings: All wounds had two to four colonies simultaneously and presented changes in their microbiota during the treatment. During the study, all patients presented wound cicatrisation improvement, and no one developed wound infection.
Discussion: Although the small sample size does not allow conclusions, results suggest that the topic therapy used at this Stomatherapy Unit promoted changes on the wound bed microbiota and did not favor infection. This study contributes to the comprehension of wound topic treatment. Understanding what changes occur in wounds during a specific treatment is important for healthcare providers, especially when the treatment proves to be efficient and low cost.