Care Guidelines
XXVIII
Wound should be debrided of necrotic tissue including eschar and hardened slough.
Invia Wound Therapy instructions advise 24 hour continuous therapy. If therapy is discontinued
for more than 2 hours, dressing should be replaced and therapy restarted.
Inspect the kit for completeness and that there is not damaging to the packaging or individual
items within the Kit.
Dressing technique
Perform aggressive wound cleaning per physician order prior to dressing application. Routine
dressing changes should occur every 48 hours. Dressing changes for infected wounds should
be accomplished every 12 -24 hours.
Invia Wound Therapy components are latex free and packaged sterile.
Wound Assessment
Observe wound/periwound tissue and exudate for signs of infection or other complications.
Most common signs of infection include redness, tenderness, fever, swelling, itching, increased
warmth in the wound area, strong odor or purulent discharge. Additional symptoms include nau-
sea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, fainting, sore throat with swelling of the mucous
membranes, disorientation, high fever (>102° F, 38.8° C), refractory hypotension, orthostatic
hypotension, or erythroedema (a sunburn-like rash). More serious complications of infection in-
clude pain, discomfort, fever, gangrene, toxic shock, septic shock. If more serious complications
of infection occur, discontinue Invia Wound Therapy therapy and consult physician immediately.
Wound adherence
If dressing adheres to the wound, moisten the dressing with saline or tap water and gently remove
from wound bed.
Spinal cord injury
Should the patient experience autonomic hyperreflexia, discontinue Invia Wound Therapy.
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