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CASE REPORT 7
This report looks at the case
of a patient with an infected
non-healing pressure ulcer,
detailing how a honey-based
dressing reduced the size
of the wound and resolved
the infection.
At presentation, the wound
consisted of 100% granulating tissue
and measured 1x1.5cm — it was
described by the clinician as critically
colonised. The periwound skin was
red but the wound itself was not
causing the patient any pain. After
one week of treatment the tissue was
still 100% granulating, but the wound
size had reduced to 1x1cm (
Figure 1
).
After following the new dressing
regimen for two weeks, the clinician
rated Actilite Protect as very easy
to use, apply and remove (rating
all three categories as ‘1’ on a five-
point scale where ‘1’was ‘very easy’
and ‘5’was ‘very difficult’). The
dressing was rated as atraumatic to
the wound bed and the periwound
skin. At the end of the trial, the
dressing was being changed every
five days rather than every two days,
and after two weeks of treatment
the wound had completely healed
(
Figure 2
). The clinician stated
that the infection that had been
preventing the wound from healing
had been resolved through the
action of the dressing’s Manuka
honey dissolvable film.
The clinician stated that dressing
changes were pain-free and that
there was no need for local analgesia.
The dressing remained intact upon
removal and stayed in place during
wear and its conformability was
considered to be very good. The
edges of the dressing had rolled-up,
however and the clinician stated that
the use of oval-shaped dressings on
that particular part of the foot could
be used to prevent this.
When asked about the new
dressing, the patient reported that
it had been very comfortable and
that she was very satisfied with
the treatment (rating it ‘1’ on a
scale where ‘1’ was ‘very satisfied’
and ‘5’ was ‘dissatisfied’). She also
reported that the treatment had
been pain-free.
Whereas the previous two-
dressing regimen had failed, the
clinician stated that Actilite Protect
positively contributed to the wound’s
eventual healing.
Figure 1.
Wound after one week of treatment with
Actilite Protect.
Figure 2.
Healed wound after two weeks
of treatment.
This patient was an 82-year-old
woman who was being cared for
in a nursing home and who had
developed a pressure ulcer on the
side of her left foot that had been
present for six months. She was a
non-smoker, but her nutritional
status was described as poor and,
although she did not have diabetes,
this was being checked three-
monthly because of the wound’s
very slow healing rate.
At the time of presentation,
the ulcer was being dressed with
Sorbsan
®
(Aspen Medical) every
two days, with a foam dressing as a
secondary dressing and a protective
barrier applied to the periwound skin.
Wound progress
It was decided to use Actilite Protect
on the patient’s wound because of the
potential benefits — Manuka honey
for antimicrobial debridement; a
foam layer for exudate management;
and a silicone outer layer to protect
the fragile periwound skin and assist
with atraumatic removal.
Sorbaderm
®
No-sting Barrier
Film (Aspen Medical) was used
along with Actilite Protect
(10x10cm), although the clinician
commented that she would have
used a 5x5cm dressing had this size
been available.
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JCN supplement
2015,Vol 29, No 4