Versatility of Active Leptospermum Honey (ALH) for Cost Effective Management of Necrotic Tissue in Home Care

Clinical Problem:  Debriding wounds present a unique challenge for the home care clinician. Achieving debridement for the homebound patient in a cost effective manner must be balanced with numerous factors such as accessibility, affordability, compliance, co-morbidities, comfort, transportability, and support.  Active Leptospermum Honey (ALH) is a versatile, accessible, affordable   option for debridement for those patients unable or unwilling to tolerate a more aggressive form debridement.  ALH has multiple properties that make it ideal for the home care patient. Case Discussion:  ALH  was used to manage necrotic tissue and associated symptoms such as inflammation and odor in six case studies with a variety of etiologies , differing ages, co-morbidities. The ALH addressed wound needs beyond debridement such as infection control, reduction in inflammation, and odor control. Compared to the cost associated with the daily dressing changes required for enzymatic debriding agent, ALH represented a substantial cost savings with the reduction in skilled nurse visits. The cost of the enzymatic agent is incurred by the patient as it cannot be provided by the home care company.  ALH can be provided to the patient by the home care company, thus making it an obvious choice for patient’s without financial means to purchase an enzymatic agent. Conclusion: ALH is a versatile, cost effective option to successfully manage necrotic tissue in a wide variety of wound etiologies despite varied and multiple co-morbidities making it a good choice for the home care patient.