title: Managing a breast sinus wound in the community: a care study.
abstract: The district nursing team had to manage a breast sinus wound which produced copious amounts of exudate and caused further problems because of its shape and position. Using a hydrofibre dressing the wound successfully healed without causing any problems with maceration to the surrounding skin. However, the nurses were unsure as to what was the correct amount of dressing to pack into the wound, and there are no specific guidelines on how tightly to pack wounds and this can influence the successful outcome of wound healing. In addition, this case showed the impact of the patient's altered body image as a result of her mastectomy.
authors.affiliation: North Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust, Birchwood Surgery, Letchworth, Hertfordshire.
authors.forename: Elaine S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Bell
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D047070:Bandages, Hydrocolloid; D001828:Body Image; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D003142:Communication; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D018579:Patient Selection; D011637:Public Health Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D017592:Skin Care / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing*; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D014945:Wound Healing