What's New in Wound Treatment? - Not a Lot!

Use of sugar on the healing of diabetic ulcers: a review

With the advent of several innovative wound care management tools, the choice of products and treatment modalities available to clinicians continues to expand. High costs associated with wound care, especially diabetic foot wounds, make it important for clinician scientists to research alternative therapies and optimally incorporate them into wound care protocols appropriately. This article reviews using sugar as a treatment option in diabetic foot care and provides a guide to its appropriate use in healing foot ulcers. In addition to a clinical case study, the physiological significance and advantages of sugar are discussed.

Assessment and management of fungating wounds: a review

Fingating wounds always present a management challenge. Not only is it often difficult to manage the physical aspects of the wound - pain, bleeding, exudate and odour - but also the psychological impact of a fungating wound on the patient and their family or carers is often considerable. This review examines current practice in relation to fungating wounds, and emphasizes the central important of assessment, communication and sensitivity in nursing management.

Why do some cavity wounds treated with honey or sugar paste heal without scarring?

As well as having antimicrobial properties, honey and sugar paste are associated with scarless healing in some cavity wounds. This article uses evidence to suggest why these products can modify excessive collagen production to prevent scarring.

Sugar for wounds

Sugar in its pure form, or incorporated into a paste containing an adhesive hydropolymer (gum), is a non-toxic treatment for a variety of wounds. Not only does it provide a suitable clean environment for angiogenesis to take place, but it will debride the wound surface and reduce odour. The presence of an adhesive hydropolymer seems to prevent hypergranulation, scarring and contraction.

Readers' Questions

PRE-OPERATIVE SHAVING WARMING DRESSINGS CLING FILM AS A TEMPORARY DRESSING.