Unstageable pressure injuries—when the wound bed is obscured by non-viable tissue, like eschar or slough—prevent accurate wound assessment and delay the healing process. Until this necrotic tissue is removed or naturally debrided, it’s difficult to precisely determine wound depth, severity, or an appropriate course of action.
These wounds are not only painful and potentially dangerous for your patient, they’re also resource-intensive, requiring repeated dressing changes, a longer healing timeline, and advanced care strategies that utilize specialized solutions.
One of these advanced strategies for effective wound management is early and wound-appropriate debridement, followed by careful, periodic cleansing to prevent infection and restore an ideal environment for tissue growth.
Debridement reveals the true wound stage and appropriate treatment response, but can also increase patient discomfort and lengthen hospital stays.
That’s where Dakin’s no-rinse wound washes play an important role.
Dakin’s Wound Cleanser and Wound Cleanser Pro are sodium hypochlorite-based cleanser aids that help loosen necrotic material at the wound site, control bioburden, and reduce the risk of infection. Especially in patients at risk for chronic wounds or rolled-edge wounds, Dakin’s helps healthcare professionals restart the stalled healing process and support a complete, healthy recovery.
Without debridement, necrotic tissue inhibits healing
In unstageable pressure injuries, the extent of tissue damage can’t be fully assessed because dead tissue obstructs the wound bed. In many cases, that uncertainty leads to under-treatment or delayed treatment until the tissue is removed.
Inaccurate assessment isn’t the only reason unstageable pressure injuries are particularly slow to heal. The presence of excessive slough or eschar also creates an impermeable barrier that prevents epithelial cells from moving across the wound surface, delaying closure. In some patients, this leads to the formation of rolled wound edges, or epiboles, a common characteristic of chronic wounds that won’t heal on their own.
At this point in the stalled healing process, you have two choices: to debride the wound and expose the wound bed, or to leave stable eschar intact when it’s dry, stable, and free of tunneling, undermining, and infection. Leaving eschar in place can avoid patient discomfort in the short term, but in some wound care cases, debriding may be the only way to jumpstart healing.
Best practices for debriding unstageable pressure injuries with Dakin’s wound care products
Healing unstageable pressure injuries requires three steps: removing non-viable tissue, restoring the wound bed, and preventing further healing complications, like infection or epibole.
Whether surgical, chemical, enzymatic, or mechanical, debridement clears the path for epithelial cells and connective tissue to begin filling the wound from the base up. When used for mechanical and chemical debridement, or immediately following other forms, Dakin’s helps cleanse the exposed wound site—washing away debris, reducing bacterial bioburden, and inhibiting biofilm formation.
Its ability to disrupt bacterial colonies without harming granulation tissue makes non-cytotoxic Dakin’s Wound Cleanser particularly valuable in wounds with deep tissue involvement, like full-thickness pressure ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers.
Once debriding and cleansing is complete, a secondary dressing soaked with Dakin’s or placed gently over a Dakin’s-rinsed wound can reduce epidermal stripping and support re-epithelialization. In unstageable pressure injuries where the wound edges roll, this moist, clean covering of the wound bed encourages the epidermal margin to migrate towards the center of the wound and naturally close the injury.
Dakin’s Solution is also available in multiple concentrations, which allow healthcare professionals to adjust their approach based on the wound depth, infection risk, and healing stage. For example, for malodorous or infected wounds needing debriding or cleansing, a stronger solution may be appropriate. For fragile tissue or minor wounds, a low-concentration formulation like Dakin’s Wound Cleanser or Wound Cleanser Pro provides antimicrobial protection without irritation.
Looking for Dakin’s? Order in bulk or visit your pharmacy
Whether you’re caring for unstageable pressure injuries, cleansing surgical site infections, treating burns, or rinsing the debris and bioburden out of minor skin wounds, our full line of wound cleansing products help you promote safe and effective healing.
You can order Dakin’s in bulk on our website or purchase individual bottles through Medical Monks. Most major pharmacies also offer Dakin’s Solution over-the-counter. Ask your pharmacist for more information.
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