Integumentary System Flashcards
The integumentary system
- is the body’s largest organ consisting of stratified dermal and epidermal layers, hair follicles, nails, sebaceous glands, and sweat glands
Superficial burn
- involves only the outer epidermis
- the involved area may be red with slight edema
- healing occurs without peeling or evidence of scarring in two to five days
superficial partial-thickness burn
- involves the epidermis and the upper portion of the dermis
- the involved area may be extremely painful and exhibit blisters
- healing occurs with minimal to no scarring in 5-21 days
deep partial thickness burn
- involves complete destruction of the epidermis and the majority of the dermis
- the involved area may appear to be discolored with broken blisters and edema
- damage to nerve endings may result in only moderate levels of pain
- hypertrophic or keloid scarring may occur
- in the absence of infection, healing will occur in 21-35 days
full thickness burn
- involved complete destruction of the epidermis and dermis along with partial damage to the subcutaneous fat layer.
- the involved area typically presents with eschar formation and minimal pain
- Pt with full-thickness burns require grafts and are susceptible to infection
- healing time varies significantly with smaller areas healing in a matter of weeks, with or without grafting, and larger areas requiring grafting and potentially months to heal
subdermal burn
- involves the complete destruction of teh epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue.
- may involve muscle and bone and as a result, often require multiple surgical interventions and extensive healing time
Anticipated Deformities Based on burn location
- anterior neck
- anticipated deformity: flexion with possible lateral flexion
- splinting: soft collar,molded collar, philadephia collar
Anticipated Deformities Based on burn location
- anterior chest and axilla
- anticipated deformity: shoulder ADD, Ext, and IR
- splinting: axillary or airplane splint, shoulder abduction brace
Anticipated Deformities Based on burn location
- elbow
- anticipated deformity: Flexion and pronation
- splinting: gutter splint, conforming splint, 3-point splint, air splint
Anticipated Deformities Based on burn location
- hand and wrist
- Anticipated deformity: ext or hyperextension of the MCP joints; flexion of the IP joints; ADD and flexion of the thumb; flexion of the wrist
splinting: wrist splint, thumb spica splint, palmar or dorsal extension splint
Anticipated Deformities Based on burn location
- Hip
Anticipated deformities: flexion and ADD
-splint: anterior hip spica, ABD splint
Anticipated Deformities Based on burn location
-knee
- anticipated deformity: flexion
splint: conforming splint, 3 point splint, air splint
Anticipated Deformities Based on burn location
-ankle
- anticipated deformity: PF
splint: posterior foot drop splint, posterior ankle conforming splint, anterior ankle conforming splint
selective debridement
- involves the removal of only noviable tissues from a wound
- selective debridement is most often performed by sharp debridement, enzymatic debridement or autolytic debridement
sharp debridement
- requires the use of a scalpel, scissors and/or forceps to selectively remove devitalized tissue, foreign material or debris from a wound
- sharp debridement is most often used for wounds with large amts of thick, adherent, necrotic tissue; however, it may also be used in the presence of cellulitis or sepsis
- sharp debridement is the most expedient form of removing necrotic tissue
- PT are permitted to perform sharp, selective debridement as a procedural intervention
enzymatic debridement
- refers to the topical application of an enzymatic preparation to necrotic tissue
- enzymatic debridement can be used on infected and non-infected wounds with necrotic tissue
- this type of debridement may be used for wounds that have not responded to autolytic debridement or in conjunction with other debridement techniques
- enzymatic debridement can be slow to establish a clean wound bed and should be discontinued once devitalized tissue is removed to avoid damage to adjacent healthy tissue
autolytic debridement
- refers to the use of the body’s own mechanisms to remove nonviable tissue
- common methods of autolytic debridement include the use of transparent films, hydrocolloids, hydrogels and alginates
- establishes a moist wound environment that rehydrates necrotic tissue and eschar, facilitating enzymatic digestion of the nonviable tissue
- non-invasive and pain free
- can be used with any amt of necrotic tissue however, requires a longer healing period and should not be performed on infected wounds
non-selective debridement
- involves the removal of both viable and nonviable tissues from a awound
- often termed mechanical debridement
- most commonly performed via wet-to -dry dressings, wound irrigation and hydrotherapy
wet -to -dry dressings
- refers to the application of moistened gauze dressing over an area of necrotic tissue
- the dressing is allowed to dry completely and is later removed, along with any necrotic tissue that has adhered to the gauze
- wet-to dry dressings are most often used to debride wounds with moderate amounts of exudate and necrotic tissue
- this type of debridement should be used sparingly on wounds containing both necrotic and viable tissue since granulation tissue will be traumatized in the process
- removal of dry dressings from granulation may cause bleeding and be extremely painful
Wound irrigation
- removes necrotic tissue from the wound bed using pressurized fluid
- pulsatile lavage is an example
- most desirable for wounds that are infected r have loose debris
- many devices permit variable pressure settings and provide suction for the removal of exudate and debris
hydrotherapy
- most commonly employed using a whirlpool tank with agitation directed toward a wound requiring debridement
- this process softens and loosens adherent necrotic tissue
- PT must be aware of potential hydrotherapy side effects such as maceration of viable tissue, edema from dependent LE positioning and systemic effects such as hypotension
Alginates
- derived from seaweed extraction, specifically, the calcium salt component of alginic acid
- highly absorptive but are also highly permeable and non-occlusive
- as a result, they require a secondary dressing
- alginate dressings act as a hemostat and create a hydrophilic gel through the interaction of calcium ions in the dressing and sodium ions in the wound exudate
indications to use Alginates
- typically used on partial or full-thickness draining wounds such as pressure or venous insufficiency ulcers
- alginates are often used on infected wounds due to the likelihood of excessive drainage
Foam dressings
- comprised of a hydrophilic polyurethane base that contacts the wound surface and a hydrophobic outer layer
- the dressings allow exudate to be absorbed into the foam through the hydrophilic layer
- the dressings are most commonly available in sheets or pads with varying degree of thickness
- semipermeable foam dressings are produced in adhesive and non-adhesive forms
- nonadhesive forms require secondary dressing