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Case Study/Series
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Combining wound care modalities: Use of cost-effective silver dressing with VAC therapy to facilitate healing First Author: Judy Burbage, RN, BSN, CWCN Authors: Manisha Kratochvil, Ch.E, MBA Home care agencies are facing the challenges of managing wound care patients in a cost-effective way due to capitated prospective payment system. Sometimes multiple modalities are combined to achieve desired outcomes (e.g. V.A.C. therapy and silver dressings). Currently, the silver V.A.C. foam is not available in home care, so agencies are in need of an alternative silver antimicrobial dressing compatible with VAC therapy. In this case series, a new, cost-effective silver dressing was evaluated when used in conjunction with V.A.C. therapy to treat three home care patients with infected wounds. Case Study #1 Dehisced surgical wound with a deep tunnel presenting with large amounts of thick malodorous drainage. Case study #2 Patient presented with a large abdominal surgical wound with mesh graft after systemic treatment with IV antibiotics. The wound had scattered necrotic areas visible through the mesh graft and produced large amounts of serosangrenous drainage. Case study #3 Repeat surgical procedure for infected knee prosthesis where the antimicrobial strip was used to wick a small tunnel to complete healing. SelectSilver by Milliken & Company, Spartanburg, SC. V.A.C. by KCI, San Antonio, TX |
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