Hygienic safety of a new hydrodynamic wound debridement system.

BACKGROUND Unprotected hydrodynamic debridement can produce aerosols, with the risk of cross-contamination and infection for patients and medical staff. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the hygienic safety and the role of aerosol prevention of a pulsatile debridement. METHODS & MATERIALS Bacterial emissions during debridement of chronic ulcer wounds of seven patients using the Debri-Jet hydrodynamic in different modifications were analyzed. RESULTS Only a special aerosol prevention system (vacuum sensor, flexible cuff applicator) was able to effectively avoid the emission of infection relevant pathogens. The emitted pathogenic spectrum reflects the wound colonization of the individual patient wound; the most mobilized and emitted species were Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. CONCLUSION Unprotected pulsatile debridement can produce highly relevant bacterial emissions. Equipped with an elaborate aerosol prevention technique, the Debri-Jet is a hygienically safe and effective debridement system and poses no more hygienic risks than conventional debridement. Because even conventional nonhydrodynamic debridement can produce cross-contamination, basic hygienic precautions, including the wearing of masks, gloves, and eye-shield, and performance of the procedure by trained staff must be used during debridement. This work was supported in part by financial support from Human Med Aktiengesellschaft, D-19061 Schwerin without any influence over the scientific results of the investigation. Human Med, Schwerin, loaned the Debri-Jet system.