From the Guidelines
For a non-healing shin wound, I recommend using a hydrocolloid dressing, such as DuoDERM or Tegaderm, to create a moist healing environment while protecting the wound, as suggested by the most recent guidelines 1. When selecting a dressing, consider the size, depth, and nature of the ulcer, and choose a dressing that maintains a moist wound healing environment, such as hydrocolloid or hydrogel dressings 1.
- Before applying any dressing, gently clean the wound with saline solution or mild soap and water, pat dry, and apply the dressing according to package instructions, ensuring it extends at least 1 inch beyond the wound edges.
- For wounds with signs of infection (increased redness, warmth, swelling, or pus), consider seeking medical attention, as antibiotic therapy may be necessary, and avoid using topical antimicrobials for treating most clinically uninfected wounds 1.
- If the wound has significant drainage, consider using an alginate dressing, such as Kaltostat, but avoid using collagen or alginate dressings as a routine treatment for wound healing in people with diabetes-related foot ulcers 1.
- Non-healing wounds often benefit from debridement of dead tissue, which can be achieved with sharp debridement, and consider the use of sucrose-octasulfate impregnated dressing as an adjunctive treatment for non-infected, neuro-ischaemic diabetes-related foot ulcers that have had insufficient change in ulcer area with best standard of care 1. However, if a shin wound hasn't shown improvement after 2-3 weeks of proper home care, you should seek medical attention as it may indicate underlying issues like poor circulation, diabetes complications, or other conditions requiring professional treatment, and consider advanced wound therapy if the wound fails to show a reduction of 50% or more after 4 weeks of appropriate wound management 1.
From the Research
Types of Wound Dressings
- Moist wound dressings, including films, foams, hydrocolloids, hydrogels, and alginates, can be used to create and maintain a moist environment for healing 2
- Hydrogel dressings have positive degradation properties, making them a good choice for targeted delivery of bioactive substances to the wound 3
- Traditional wound dressings, such as bandages and gauzes, have poor adhesional properties and cannot provide enough drainage for the wound 3
Characteristics of Ideal Wound Dressings
- An optimal wound dressing should provide a moist environment and have an optimal water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) and absorptive capacity 2
- It should also protect the wound against trauma and contamination, be easy to apply, painless to remove, and esthetically acceptable 2
- A breathable and moisturizing wound dressing with broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties can promote wound healing 4
Examples of Effective Wound Dressings
- A novel PVA-SA hybrid hydrogel membrane for topical delivery of bacteriophages and antibiotics has shown promise in treating infected burn wounds 5
- A neomycin sulfate-loaded hydrogel dressing with enhanced physical dressing properties and wound-curing effect has been developed 6
- A biomimetic moisturizing and antibacterial hydrogel dressing (BMAHD) has been designed to combine polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel with ordinary gauze to achieve high breathability and moisturize the wound 4