Surgical Pearl: Gauzabrasion—Abrading superficial slough with rough dressing gauze

Abstract

Surgical procedures like dermabrasion, salabrasion, microdermabrasion, dermasanding, dermaplaning, etc, have been used to remove different depths of skin in order to rejuvenate the layered structure of skin. 1. Roenigk H.H. Dermabrasion. in: Roenigk R.K. Roenigk Jr., H.H. Roenigk & Roenigk's dermatologic surgery: Principles & practices. Marcel Dekker, New York1996: 1089-1102 Google Scholar , 2. Poulos E. Taylor C. Solish N. Effectiveness of dermasanding (manual dermabrasion) on the appearance of surgical scars: A prospective, randomized, blinded study. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2003; 48: 897-900 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (34) Google Scholar Various instruments or materials are required to achieve the different levels of cutaneous abrasion. The most superficial form of dermabrasion, using chemically inert crystals, has been termed microdermabrasion and has recently become very common. Because of its innate nature, the procedure of microdermabrasion can only be used on dry and intact skin surfaces. Wet areas, like chronic non-healing ulcers, may also require the removal of superficial layers of slough and dead necrotic tissue debris. The deeper layers of slough and necrotic tissue requiring wider excision may be replaced immediately by superficial necrotic slough, which harbors infection and thus retards granulation tissue formation. These wounds with recurrent superficial slough formation need to be treated with chemical desloughing agents like hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorite solution, hydrocolloid gel, and enzymatic agents like fibrinolysins, streptokinase, streptodornase, trypsin, and collagenase, etc. 3. DeGreef H.J. How to heal a wound fast. in: Theirs B.H. Dermatologic clinics (Dermatologic therapy). WB Saunders, Philadelphia1998: 365-376 Google Scholar We have been using mechanical methods of desloughing these ulcers by abrading (gauzabrasion) them with simple dressing gauze.