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12 JCN
Supplement 2016
DEBRIDEMENT
The ingredients contained in the
debridement cloth are:
Poloxamer 188: a surfactant.
Surfactants are able to provide
a ‘deep clean’ of tissues and
wounds by breaking down the
interface between water and
oils and/or bacteria. They ‘hold’
the oil/bacteria in suspension,
allowing them to be removed
more easily. This action allows
for deeper cleaning than that
provided by water
Allantoin: a moisturising and
mild keratolytic, which causes
the skin’s keratin layer to soften.
This property helps skin to heal
quickly and to bind moisture
effectively, benefitting dry skin
and helping to heal wounds,
burns and scars
Aloe vera
barbadensis
leaf extract:
this comprises ingredients
derived from the various species
of aloe vera for a soothing and
moisturising effect. It has no
known side-effects.
A study of the efficacy and
tolerability of UCS in Finland in
2010 showed that all of the 60
patients in the evaluation rated
‘ease of use’ and ‘softness and
durability ‘ as either ‘excellent’ (67%)
or ‘good’ (33%) (
Figures
1
and
2
).
Alternative uses
The moisture contained within the
UCS sachet helps to soften necrotic
tissue, slough and exudate in the
wound. The same fluid has been
successfully used as an eye wash
and to treat acute mouth ulcers
by removing biofilm and therefore
aiding rapid healing.
EASE OF USE AND
PATIENT PERSPECTIVE
Hughes (2015) ran a qualitative study
to evaluate the UCS debridement
cloths, and feedback allowed
evaluation of the effectiveness of UCS
in practice from both a patient and a
nurse point of view:
One-hundred percent of staff
found UCS easy to use
Ninety-four percent said UCS
made a visible improvement to
the wound
Six percent saw no
noticeable difference
CASE STUDY
Annette Downe, epidermolysis
bullosa clinical nurse specialist, St
Thomas’ Hospital, London
Mr M was a 89-year-old man with
dominant dystrophic epidermolysis
bullosa (EB) who had a chronic
wound on his left lower leg. The
wound bed was partially occluded by
a large scab which made it difficult
to fully assess (
Figure a
).
A UCS wipe was applied gently
over the area to help soften the scab.
After five minutes the UCS wipe
was removed. The scab had softened
enough for it to be removed without
trauma or pain for the patient (
Figure
b
). This enabled the wound to be
assessed more effectively.
Biopsies were later taken and
the scab was found to be due to
squamous cell carcinoma. The
photos show the benefits of
UCS for wound assessment, as
well as improvement of the
surrounding skin.
Figure a
Figure b