Clinical Problem: An 80 year old female presents with a right leg trauma wound on Dec 14th. She fell at home and bumped her right leg on a cupboard door. Patient complained of difficulty walking. A wound culture was obtained with negative results. The patient has a history of atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular accident and hypercholesterolemia. She was diagnosed with a severe hematoma and cellulitis to the right leg. Her nutritional status was good and included a multivitamin daily. Patient was transferred to a long term care facility on Dec 16th with orders to include oral antibiotics. The wound measured 5.7cm x 8.5cm with 80% eschar and 15% yellow slough tissue and 5% pink granualtion tissue. The patient was followed in the outpatient wound clinic for a non healing wound on January 31st. A wound care nurse was consulted for wound care.

Description of Past Management: Past wound care management included an antimicrobial cream to the right leg ulcer and whirlpool treatments. These treatments showed no signs of improvement.

Current Clinical Approach: Patient continued on oral antibiotics, conservative surgical debridement along with enzymatic debridement agent and polymeric membrane dressing used as a primary and secondary dressing changed daily. Compression therapy was added to the treatment to decrease leg edema.

Patient outcome: The wound was healed within 4 months of initiation of polymeric membrane dressings.

Conclusion: Polymeric membrane dressings are an excellent dressing type to use as a primary and/or secondary dressing from initiation to wound closure.