(CS-052) The use of a pure Hypochlorous Acid (pHA) based cleanser in a standardized way in an inpatient setting by a WOC nursing service. Also, what is in the canister with pHA instillation with NPWT?

Debashish Chakravarthy, Ph. D. – Vice President of Medical Affairs and Innovations, Urgo Medical; Janet Johnsen, CWOCN; Emma Kovacs, CWOCN

Introduction: Consensus guidelines encourage the standardized use of tissue safe cleansers that are effective in removing biofilms and necrotic tissue. In our inpatient practice, it is common for us to reach for a pHA based cleanser. This cleanser is applied to a wound with frequent soaks via a gauze. Another way to manage these wounds, is to use the pHA cleanser in an instillation mode. The necrotic material is removed effectively, and its removal is evidenced not only visually in the wound, but also by the appearance of the suspended necrotic tissue in the collection canister.

Methods: We attempted to study the “extent of usage” of pHA. Thus over a period of five months, we prospectively recorded the wound healing journey of each patient who was treated with pHA while in our inpatient care. We monitored wound progress via reduction in wound size (particularly with negative pressure wound therapy), length of therapy, and appearance of healthy granulation tissue. We present here the details of these patients and their wounds who were treated with pHA. We also present three notable cases, and also visual images of the canister contents to indicate where the necrotic matter ended up post-cleansing with pHA.

Results: This study involved the treatment of 20 patients over the course of 5 months, with 3 notable cases. There were no adverse events related to product use and the case details presented showed steady healing progress with pHA. Images of the canisters show that while the necrotic tissue vanished over time from the wound, it appeared as a cloudy, suspended matter in the canisters. These observations prove that pHA with instillation works to remove necrotic tissue. It is also expected to decontaminate the wound via biofilm removal.

Discussion: