Industry Voices

by Hy-Tape International

Stomas can cause significant difficulties for patients and health care professionals by degrading patients’ quality of life and making it difficult to stay active. Peristomal skin complications are particularly problematic and can lead to a wide range of problems and discomfort for patients. To reduce the risk of these issues, it is critical that health care professionals understand these complications and take steps to help patients minimize their risk.

by Hy-Tape International

Skin tears are a costly and increasingly common condition affecting a large number of patients, particularly older adults. These injuries can be caused by excessive friction, shearing, or blunt forces, causing a partial- or full-thickness wound. Although they are generally considered to be minor injuries, skin tears can lead to more serious complications and exacerbate existing wounds. To ensure that the costs of skin tears do not become too great, and that patients stay healthy, it is critical that health care professionals understand the risks of skin tearing and take preventative action to reduce those risks.

by Hy-Tape International

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is an effective means of promoting wound healing and removing fluids from the wound area. NPWT helps to create a moist wound environment, removes exudate, and stimulates the wound bed. Because the technology has been shown to be a valuable tool when treating pressure ulcers or injuries and other wounds, health care professionals have begun using it with increasing frequency, allowing them to promote rapid wound healing and improve outcomes for patients.

by Hy-Tape International

Ostomy surgery is an increasingly common treatment for patients with Crohn's disease. With over 450,000 people with stomas in the United States and 120,000 new ostomy surgical procedures performed each year, a growing number of patients must contend with the difficulties of stoma management. However, with guidance from a health care professional, stoma patients can live healthy, active lives while minimizing their risk of injury, infection, and other problems.

By Hy-Tape International

Chronic venous insufficiency disease and resulting venous leg ulcers are serious and common conditions, particularly among older adults. More than half of lower extremity ulcers are caused by venous insufficiency disease. In a diseased venous system, the patient’s venous pressure will not be reduced on ambulation. This sustained pressure can lead to venous ulcerations and other complications.^1,2

by Hy-Tape International

Maintaining an active lifestyle is critical to good health; this is especially true for patients recovering from wounds or extended hospital stays. Robust activity can improve mental health, reduce the risk of infection, and accelerate wound healing. Staying active can be challenging for patients with wounds, however, and it is critical that health care professionals take steps to enable their patients to stay as active as possible.

by Hy-Tape International

To promote rapid healing, improve patient comfort, and prevent complications, it is important that health care professionals actively work to prevent infection. One key component of that effort is wound dressing securement. Secure, gentle, and effective dressings can help prevent the ingress of foreign material, reduce damage during dressing changes, and help foster an ideal healing environment. This can help reduce the risk of infection, thereby improving patient outcomes and lowering costs. In this post, we explore the importance of infection prevention and effective dressing securement strategies to help prevent infection.

by Hy-Tape International

Skin tears are a major and growing problem for health care professionals, particularly those caring for older patients. By 2060, the population of Americans age 65 or older is projected to grow from approximately 46 million to 98 million and account for 24% of the total population. This makes skin tears an issue of increasing concern, and it is important for those caring for older adults to take steps to prevent the problem.

by Hy-Tape International

Prevention is one of the most important components of wound and ostomy care. Factors such as hydration, pressure, excessive moisture, cleanliness, and erythema can all affect wound healing rate, patient comfort, and the incidence of new wounds. By taking a proactive stance, health care professionals can reduce the risk of infection, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes.

by Hy-Tape International

Infections are one of the most serious complications associated with wounds. Even for wounds resulting from clean surgery, studies find the infection rate to be 8% among the general population, and 25% among those above 60 years old.¹ This makes infection prevention one of the most important components of effective wound management. By implementing wound care best practices using effective, sterile medical tape, nurses and other healthcare professionals can make dressings more secure and reduce the risk of cross contamination, improving patient outcomes and promoting rapid wound healing.^2,3,4