Wound cleansing

What's in the range

• Sodium chloride 9 mg/ml — sterile saline, the most common irrigation fluid in wound care. Fresenius Kabi and B. Braun in 250 ml, 500 ml and 1000 ml. The large bottles belong at a station or in a vehicle bag, the small ones in the stockroom as a single-use format.
• Chlorhexidine solution — a disinfectant intended for wound cleansing, from Fresenius Kabi in 1 mg/ml and 2 mg/ml, 250 ml.
• Wound wipes — individually wrapped moist wipes from Cederroth and Vitri, in packs of 10, 20 and 40. Steroplast Sterowipe is alcohol-free and comes in packs of a hundred.
• Rinse spray — Cederroth Eye & Wound Cleansing Spray in 150 ml, intended for both eyes and wounds, with a nozzle design that makes it usable with one hand.

Bottle or individual packs

The bottle gives you volume and the lowest cost per millilitre, but it is awkward to carry and should not be left standing open indefinitely. Individually packed wipes and spray bottles fit into a kit, cope with temperature swings in a vehicle and are always unopened when used.

Most people choose both: a bottle at the station, wipes in the carried kit. In the field the wipes are usually the only realistic format, because a bottle adds weight, can leak in your pack and runs out early when it is shared between several people. The spray is a middle ground that works in the vehicle bag.

Goes together with

After cleansing: plasters, dressings and swabs, held in place with tape or bandages. Gloves belong in every kit. The whole category: wound care and dressings.