Iodosorb Gel Review and Basic Guide
Iodosorb Gel is an antimicrobial sterile dressing formulation containing iodine. It is ideal to apply to small wounds and helps in absorption of fluids, remove exudate, slough, and debris. As the gel absorbs exudate, the iodine kills bacteria and change in color is observed as it is used up.
It has three main actions all important in wound healing and they are:
What Are the Function Of Iodosorb?
1. Manages exudate
2. Kills Bacteria
3. Debrides the wound
Debriding the wound is extremely important as until the debris is removed the wound is unable to heal properly.
What Are The Contents Contained In The Iodosorb Gel?
Iodosorb Gel contains 0.9% w/w iodine, (do not use if allergic to iodine). The cadexomer iodine is 60% and Polyethylene glycol 40%. This combination allows for fewer dressing changes due to the fact that cadexomer iodine is able to absorb 6 times its fluid weight, and this allows the wound to remain undisturbed for longer leading to healthy healing of the site.
The Material Data Safety Sheet describes Iodosorb as a topical ointment for the treatment of chronic exuding wounds.
Contra-Indications of Iodosorb Gel are:
1. Iodine allergies or sensitivities must avoid it.
2. People with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis should avoid its use.
3. Use should be avoided by pregnant or breastfeeding women.
4. Iodosorb Gel should not be use in eyes.
When You Should Use Iodosorb Gel And For What Purpose?
1. For use on chronic exuding wounds like leg ulcers that are usually sloughy and slow to heal. This is especially true in diabetic leg ulcers where healing is slow due to poor blood sugar balance. Some diabetics have a leg ulcer for as long as 6-12 months, and Iodosorb gel could be used to better manage their condition. However, it is always important to look at the issues holistically as many of these patients get ulcers quite frequently.
2. Infected traumatic wounds
3. Pressure ulcers and venous ulcers.
When using the product remember the amount used in a week must not be more than 5.3 oz, as more will exceed the safe dose, unless advised otherwise by your medical doctor. Up to three months is usually plenty of time to heal a wound. Usually, you would base the safe dose on dressing the wound x three weekly. The size of the tube comes in 10 grams or 40-gram tubes.
How To Use Iodosorb Gel Step By Step Guide?
STEP 1: Wash your hands before commencing patient care
STEP 2: Unscrew the tube and squeeze the gel onto a square of gauze non-stick dressing. The amount of gel used should be to the depth of around 3 mm.
STEP 3: First, remove the old dressing, and if it is stuck moisten with saline solution so that new skin is not disturbed.
STEP 4: Gently clean the area with saline or sterile water and blot dry.
STEP 5: Place the square, gel side down over the surface of the clean wound.
STEP 6: The wound would normally be left undisturbed for 48 hours, depending on medical advice.
STEP 7: If the wound is a varicose ulcer, the patients should elevate their leg, to promote healing.
What Are The Benefits Of Using Iodosorb Gel?
1. The Gel has antimicrobial properties.
2. Promotes wound healing by absorbing fluids
3. Also removes debris that builds on the surface of a wound.
4. The dressing changes color ( to white) to indicate when the dressing should be changed. This makes it suitable for use by people without any prior medical knowledge.
5. The gel promotes moist wound healing
6. Suitable for wounds with high exudate as it is highly absorbent.
7. This leads to a faster healing rate
8. Acts as a barrier
9. Reduces bacterial load in the wound
With all wounds, it is important to be vigilant and observant regarding any change.
What Precautions You Should Take While Using Iodosorb Gel?
- Check past history of any thyroid disorder in the patient. As anyone with a disorder may be susceptible to alterations in thyroid metabolism, and will not be suitable for Iodosorb use.
- If the wound is exuding a lot a crust can sometimes form, meaning the wound needs more frequent changing.
- Check the safety data sheet if you have concerns about use.
Desloughing Properties Of Iodosorb Gel
The debris and bacteria that gather on the wound can prevent healing from taking place. This is a great advantage of Iodosorb Gel as it gets rid of the slough without having to clean it off manually. The slough is caused by bacteria, and it often starts to smell horrible. This forces the doctor to prescribe yet another course of antibiotics for the patient, and it is not surprising that we are becoming antibiotic-resistant as they are so overused. The Cadexomer matrix draws up the fluid and the cellular debris, cleaning the wound bed and preventing the formation of the slough.
This leads to a clean wound able to grow epithelial tissue and promotes healing faster and this is what we are looking for.
The Cadexomer Iodine manages exudate by absorbing 6 times its weight, reducing the risk of leakage, and fewer dressing changes lead to faster healing. This has revolutionized wound management, changing everything for the better. Where once the patient would have been hospitalized for twice-daily dressings, they can now have second daily dressings at home.
How Cadexomer Iodine Works?
When the Cadexomer Iodine is applied to the surface of the wound, the Cadexomer beads swell forming a gel. The iodine is then released into the surrounding wound until the supply is exhausted and the dressing changes color, meaning it indicates sign to change the dressing.
We have used iodine for 100 years or more, but never quite like this, and it has totally revolutionized wound care and healing.
CONCLUSION
When a wound doesn’t heal, it undermines the patient’s health and restricts their lifestyle. Due to the fact that they often have to rest, the area affected, often the leg, for weeks. Iodosorb works on the wound and speeds up the healing process, being effective in most cases, and once healed the patient is able to go about their normal life again free of this debilitating condition. Iodosorb Gel appears to be the ideal solution for stubborn wound management.
