Effects of a normothermic dressing on pressure ulcer healing.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of radiant heat applied through a semiocclusive dressing on periwound skin temperature and wound healing.


METHODS
Before-after trial.


METHODS
Spinal cord injury and geriatric units of a VA medical center.


METHODS
Twenty inpatients with 21 Stage III and IV pressure ulcers.


METHODS
A semiocclusive, heated dressing was applied to 15 Stage III and IV pressure ulcers for 4.5 hours, Monday through Friday, for 4 consecutive weeks. The dressing emitted heat at 38.0 degrees C for 2 60-minute periods daily. At all other times, the wounds received only standard wound care. Six wounds in a separate control group received only standard wound care during the same 4-week period.


METHODS
Periwound skin temperature within and adjacent to the dressing and measurements of wound surface area.


RESULTS
Mean skin temperatures inside and outside the heated dressing increased by 0.97 degree C and 1.08 degrees C (P < .05), respectively, from baseline values. Wounds treated with standard care plus the heated dressing underwent a statistically significant reduction in mean surface area of 60.73%. Wounds in the control group underwent a statistically insignificant reduction in mean surface area of 19.24%.


CONCLUSIONS
Wounds treated with a radiant heat dressing healed significantly faster than wounds that received only standard care. There were no adverse effects from the radiant heat dressing.
Kloth
L C
LC
Department of Physical Therapy, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Berman
J E
JE
Dumit-Minkel
S
S
Sutton
C H
CH
Papanek
P E
PE
Wurzel
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009779:Occlusive Dressings; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing