Professional treatment of complications

Despite modern, increasingly less invasive surgical techniques and consistent compliance with hygiene measures, postoperative wound infections cannot always be avoided. In accident surgery alone, bacterial infections develop in 40% of cases with open wounds. Between 0.5 and 7.%. of all prosthesis implants are associated with infections*.

Bacterial biofilms pose a particular challenge especially antibiotic-resistant germs such as the multi-resistant staphylococcus aureus, which makes effective treatment with antibiotics problematic.

Acute and chronic bone, soft tissue and/or joint infections must be treated quickly to avoid consequential damage such as bone and soft tissue defects, limb truncations and defective positions or arthrosis.

A wide range of treatment possibilities are available for the professional reparation of infections in traumatology, accident surgery and orthopaedics.

• Curettage
• Water jet irrigation
• Bactericidal treatment of infections with invasive ultrasound
• Ultrasonic lavage (USL)
• Surgical debridement

Advantage of ultrasonic lavage: selective mode of action and gentle debridement
Ultrasonic lavage (USL) from Söring offers effective treatment of infections even for bacteria in biofilms. The bactericidal deep cleaning of the procedure is based on the cavitation effect. In the process, the ultrasound distinguishes between necrotic and healthy tissue. Necroses, damaged tissue and even biofilm formations are removed without any damage occurring to the healthy tissue.

The ultrasonic lavage’s selective approach offers a range of advantages:

• Return of the wound to an acute stage thereby promoting granulation
• Avital tissue is detached and flushed out; granulation tissue remains preserved
• Significant reduction of germs, even in inaccessible biofilm formations
• Application in wound areas that are difficult to access e.g. in fistula tracts
• Special handpieces which facilitate better handling for the user
• Less pain for patient

Cost-cutting effects
The use of Ultrasonic Lavage generates considerable cost savings

• Effective wound cleaning reduces the number of debridements
• Quicker initial sealing
• Quicker healing
• Reduced use of analgesics as treatment is less painful
• Surgical interventions are unnecessary even in wound areas that are difficult to access e.g. fistula tracts

Indications:
Treatment of infections with the ultrasonic lavage process is recommended for the following indications:

• Hip revision
• Knee revision
• Preparation for split-thickness skin graft
• Burns
• Gunshot wounds
• Cleaning of septic wounds
• Open fractures for infection prophylaxis
• Postoperative wound infections

* Source: Berufsgenossenschaftliche Unfallklinik Tübingen (BG Clinic)

Methoden