Junior Member

Posts: 13
From:san diego, ca usa
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 07-31-2002 11:46 AM            

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hi there, I am not a nurse or a doctor or anyone with credentials, but I have to take care of my dad. He recently had an amputation and the surgeon told me to do a wet to dry dressing on his stump. The home care nurse can only come once in a while. SO I have to do it. People keep telling me to do different things. How tight should I pack the dressing in? What kind of stuff is supposed to coem out of this? Little tiny flakes of skin or prety good size stuff? Should I actually touch the black jelly parts...gross....but should I? Can someone explain how this method works? the internet only has like two pages on this subject. Thanks

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Senior Veteran

Posts: 1049
From:
Registered: Dec 2001

posted 07-31-2002 05:53 PM            

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Sarah:

Suggest you post this on the General Board to catch more potential readers and responders.

Have you tried any of the major hospitals' Web sites; they often post PDF patient information.

Good luck,
Jay

[This message has been edited by Jay Tor (edited 07-31-2002).]

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Senior Member

Posts: 80
From:green Cove Springs, Fl. USA
Registered: Jun 2002

posted 08-01-2002 01:34 AM            

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Sarah, a wet to dry dressing is really very easy. this will keep from having to debried(Pull off the old skin with sciccors and tweezers.Pull off the dry dressing, wipe the jelly with the inside of the dressing and use what ever your doctor ordered. Sterile water probably. Just pore it over the stump. take the dry dressings and wrap it very good and thick. take scissors and cut 1 inch holes all through out the thick dry dressing. then poor the Sterile water until it is soaked. Every time you do that it is about 6 times he doesn't have to go to the tank and get his skin pealed off. Hopefully the Wet to Dry will help it sluff it off all by itself. Sorry it's not better news, but yuo can do it. If at any time a foul smell (you will recoginize it) take him to ER or your doctors office. God Bless your family. Oma

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Senior Veteran

Posts: 5318
From:stoughton WI USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-05-2002 01:19 AM            

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Wet to dry dressings at our facility consist of taking guaze sponges and saoking them in either normal saline or dakins solution if this is what the doc wants. Don't apply them dripping wet but do have them thoroughly wet and apply them to the stump. We then cover the wet dressing with dry guaze sponges to help keep them moist and then wrap the stump with kling aka a roll of guaze. This is then changed as often as the doc recommends it. Since you are unsure of how the doc wants the dressings done you should call and clarify exactly what he wants done to your dads stump.

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Senior Member

Posts: 87
From:Sanford, NC , USA
Registered: Jun 2002

posted 08-05-2002 11:09 PM            

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Hi,
Wet to dry dressings are fairly easy, Remove the old dressing, carefully. I would carefully wipe of the wound with sterile H2O or saline. Wet some gauze with the sterile H2O or saline and wring them out so they are not dripping wet, apply directly to the wound. Pack it if the wound tunnels. Then cover with dry gauze and secure as needed.

I hope this helps,
Michelle

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Senior Veteran

Posts: 1418
From:Boston, Mass
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 08-06-2002 08:02 AM            

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I have to say that when I was working on the wards in England, the docs never got involved in issues regarding wound care, even after ops, unless wounds became infected or needed surgical bebridement. Wound care issues were always seen as the nurses territory and the docs never seemed to interfere, as we always knew more than they did anyway about this topic.

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Newbie

Posts: 2
From:Newark
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 08-25-2002 11:26 PM            

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Sarah, Run, not walk to your nearest phone and call the home care nurse agency who come in once in a while. They are supposed to train you in how to do the dressing changes, checking for signs of infection and supply you with plenty of gloves, bandages, gauze, medication etc. to keep you going. If they don't, find another agency. At this stage of post-op care, they should also be coming more than once in a while. He needs physical and occupational therapy along with close monitoring for signs of infection of other complications. The hospital where he was should also has a social services department with a case worker who was responsible for discharge planning. That means setting up everything he needs at home. If he is Medicare eligible, he could qualify for some home modifications such as handrails in the bathroom, widening the doors for wheelchair access etc. Since you sound like the primary caregiver, call the discharge planner and politely demand some assistance. Same goes for your home care agency. Call the administrator and inquire to know exactly what kind of care he is scheduled to receive. If you are not satisfied with the answer, find another agency. The yellow pages is full of them! (the discharge planner can also help find another) You deserve a lot more help than you are getting. If all else fails, call his primary care doctor. (not necessarily the surgeon) Good Luck!

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