International Journal of Nursing Education

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A Study to Compare the Effectiveness of Normal Saline Vs Tapwater in Irrigation of Chronic Wounds


Affiliations
1 College of Nursing, JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate amaedical Education and Research), Puducherry-06, India
2 College of Nursing, AIIMS, (All India Institute of Medical Sciences), New Delhi, India
3 Dept. of Surgery, AIIMS, (All India Institute of Medical Sciences), New Delhi, India
     

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Objective

To compare the effects of Normal saline Vs Tap Water on infection, healing rate of chronic wounds.

Material and Methods

This study used Randomized Controlled Trial in surgical OPD/ D7 Ward/AB6 Ward of All India institute Of Medical Sciences Hospital, included 31 subjects in Tap Water group, 30 subjects in Normal saline group. Subjects were randomly allocated to have the wound irrigated with either normal saline or tap water.

Results

The healing rate was assessed by percentage decrease in area at 2 weekly intervals. At the end of the5-6 weeks follow up the percentage decrease in saline group was 45.34%(mean size: 8.42±6.57) compared to 40.58 % (mean size of 5.36±7.89) in tap water group. There was no significant different between the groups. (p >0.05) The overall post irrigation culture was 64.51% positive in saline group, 58.06% positive in tap water group with the p value of>0.05.

Conclusion

There was no significant difference between the wounds in term of wound infection and healing rate. Drinkable tap water appears to provide safe alternative to sterile Normal saline in irrigation of chronic wounds.


Keywords

Tap Water, Chronic Wounds, Nrmal Saline.
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  • A Study to Compare the Effectiveness of Normal Saline Vs Tapwater in Irrigation of Chronic Wounds

Abstract Views: 937  |  PDF Views: 2

Authors

R. Lakshmi
College of Nursing, JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate amaedical Education and Research), Puducherry-06, India
Rachel Andrews
College of Nursing, AIIMS, (All India Institute of Medical Sciences), New Delhi, India
Sunil Chumber
Dept. of Surgery, AIIMS, (All India Institute of Medical Sciences), New Delhi, India

Abstract


Objective

To compare the effects of Normal saline Vs Tap Water on infection, healing rate of chronic wounds.

Material and Methods

This study used Randomized Controlled Trial in surgical OPD/ D7 Ward/AB6 Ward of All India institute Of Medical Sciences Hospital, included 31 subjects in Tap Water group, 30 subjects in Normal saline group. Subjects were randomly allocated to have the wound irrigated with either normal saline or tap water.

Results

The healing rate was assessed by percentage decrease in area at 2 weekly intervals. At the end of the5-6 weeks follow up the percentage decrease in saline group was 45.34%(mean size: 8.42±6.57) compared to 40.58 % (mean size of 5.36±7.89) in tap water group. There was no significant different between the groups. (p >0.05) The overall post irrigation culture was 64.51% positive in saline group, 58.06% positive in tap water group with the p value of>0.05.

Conclusion

There was no significant difference between the wounds in term of wound infection and healing rate. Drinkable tap water appears to provide safe alternative to sterile Normal saline in irrigation of chronic wounds.


Keywords


Tap Water, Chronic Wounds, Nrmal Saline.

References