Pulsatile lavage for pressure ulcer management in spinal cord injury: A retrospective clinical safety review

Pressure ulcers are major complications of reduced mobility and/or sensation. Pulsatile lavage therapy delivers localized hydrotherapy directly to the wound utilizing a pulsatile pressurized stream of normal saline. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical safety of pulsatile lavage therapy, provided daily at the bedside, in routine management of Stage III and Stage IV pressure ulcers. Charts from 28 male patients with Stage III and Stage IV pressure ulcers and spinal cord injury (SCI) or spinal cord disorders (SCD) were retrospectively reviewed for documentation of adverse events/safety concerns. Mean therapy duration was 46 days (SD 37 days, range 6-152 days). Treatment was interrupted for 6 days in one patient due to minor wound bleeding. No other adverse events, including backsplash injuries, were documented. The results of this chart review suggest pulsatile lavage therapy can be administered at the patient's bedside without adverse events if appropriate protocols are followed. Additional research to confirm the efficacy and effectiveness of this treatment modality in a broader subject population is warranted.