Benefits of Collagen Dressing

Collagen dressing is a classification of wound dressing obtained from collagen. Its purpose is to help the body in healing. Collagen is familiar to the human body as it is structural proteins commonly found in connective tissues.

When collagen is used to dress the wounds, the body’s collagen supply does not degenerate from strenuous activities of enzymes. In such case, the human body has the needed building materials for damage repair.

Fiberacole Plus Collagen Wound Dressing

How Collagen Dressing Helps

When a wound is given any other dressing except collagen, the body’s natural enzymes, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) will break down the damaged collagen so they will not be utilized for building the frames for growth of new tissues. However, due to the excessive production of the MMPs, which also break down even the healthy collagen, the wound becomes chronic.

Collagen dressings distract the MMPs from breaking down the healthy collagen with the additional collagen from dressings. Thus, the body’s healthy collagens are protected for more important chemical tasks.

Additional Benefits of Collagen Dressings

Collagen Dressing has other benefits. The most significant are:

1. Collagen from dressing absorbs the fluids.
2. It maintains the wound bed moist.
3. It acts as a barrier from external infection.
4. Collagen Dressings do not cling to the new tissues forming from the wounds. Hence, the collagen neither damages the tissue nor leaves behind fragments of fibers when new wound dressing is placed.
5. Using a collagen dressing can also accelerate the creation of fibroblast cells, which are essential in producing collagen and extra-cellular structures. The collagen dressings also draw the existing fibroblasts in the body towards the wound.

Sources of Collagen for Wound Dressings

The sources for collagen vary. But mostly, they are derived from animal sources such as pigs, horses, birds, and cows. The collaged extracted from these sources undergoes a purification process to fit for medical uses. Some forms of collagen dressing are sheets, pastes, ropes, and rectangular blocks. They all have non-stick membranes at the back.

References:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9862108

http://www.burnsurgery.org/Modules/BurnWound/rationale/collagen/collagen_dressing.htm

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-collagen-dressing.htm

How Does a Flutter Valve Work?

People who suffer from cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may have difficulty breathing as their lungs cannot function very well. In most cases, the lungs are filled with mucous, which is a principal factor to the breathing problems. One of the solutions to help those patients is the use of a medical device known as the flutter valve.

What is a Flutter Valve?

Also known as Acapella Valve, the flutter valve aids the lungs to function. For one, it removes the air from the chest tube and at the same time, keeps the air out from the lungs. It can also be integrated in a cylinder through which patients breathe out. For those who suffer from phlegm-infected lungs, the acapella valve is also used to suck out the mucus. In cases such as pneumothorax, the flutter valve is enclosed in a plastic, which is used to remove the air from chest cavity.

Some Flutter Valves are designed into a portable device built for patients to breathe through. In this case, the valve attached in a cylinder takes the form of a cone. Inside the valve is a ball.

Acepella Cough Assist

How Does a Flutter Valve Work? 

The flutter valve is a small device, which is usually held by hands and takes the form of a pipe. On one end is a plastic mouthpiece, while on the other is a perforated cover made also of a plastic material. There is also a ball made from stainless-steel inside the cone. It works in three ways:

1. It vibrates the airways and thus, loosens the mucous.
2. It keeps the airways during exhalation, open.
3. To induce mucous removal, the flutter valve creates “mini-coughs”.

To use the acapella flutter, the patient holds it in horizontal on a sitting position. Then, the patient is instructed to breathe in and hold the breath for two or three seconds before exhaling into the flutter. The vibrations in the patient’s airways can be adjusted by making adjustments on the degree in holding the device.

 References:

http://www.cfeducation.ca/en/airway_clearance.aspx

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-flutter-valve.htm

http://www.medicaldepartmentstore.com/flutter-valve-p/21-1530.htm

How Does an External Catheter Work?

There are times when men or women have incontinence problems or have undergone a surgical procedure. At which circumstance, urination can be difficult From time to time, we all excrete wastes including urine. External catheters are a device attached to the genital to collect urine. Catheters vary based on sizes and gender, albeit there are catheters that can be used for men and women.

Mentor Freedom Cath

Types of Catheters

There is a corresponding external catheter for both sexes. These are the male external catheter and female external catheter.

• Male External Catheter. A male external catheter is a sheath in rubber material. It is attached over a penis to empty the urine. Some catheters take the form or shape of a condom, like the Texas catheter. At the tip of the catheter has a tube attached to another tube, which leads to the collection bag. There are also catheters that use Velcro attachments. Others use a special type of tape to fasten the sheath around the penis base. The external catheter for men is attached to a tube made of plastic, which leads to a bag. The bag stores the urine until emptied. Another term for catheters is freedom cath because it enables a man to urinate without the trouble of getting up. Men who suffer from incontinence can seek comfort from using a male external catheter.
• Female external catheter. The catheter used for female takes the form of a tube which is tucked into the opening of urethra, the urethral meatus. Mostly, women use catheters to empty urine especially if they had sedation for surgical operation or to determine the conditions of the bladder through injecting some fluids into it.

Wide Band Self Adhering Catheter

The female catheter has two types of collection bags. One type of a drainage bag is large and which can hang under the bed of the patient for overnight use. The other type is known as the leg bag because it is connected to a leg, which makes the whole device discreet.

References:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-female-catheter.htm

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-external-catheter.htm

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-external-male-catheter.htm

Vacuum Devices for Ed

One of the common sexual disorders in men is the Erectile Dysfunction, which characterizes the inability of a man to procure or sustain erection or stiffness of a penis, and therefore, fail to engage in sexual intercourses.

Mostly in the past, the treatments available for erectile dysfunction were limited to pills and surgery. Both treatments are not free from side-effects, pain and health risks. Pills and other medication therapies may contain chemicals that may be harmful to men’s health. Meanwhile, surgeries expose men in dangers of complication or infection during and after surgery. Amidst these risks that men have to gamble, the sought-after results are not guaranteed.

New Hope 

A Penis Pump treats the erectile dysfunction. Instead of chemicals from pills and health risks from surgery, the erectile dysfunction pump—another of its name—uses vacuum.

A penis pump comes with a tube in plastic material, a pump, and a band. The plastic tube is used over the penis, and attached to such tube is the pump. The band is used around the penis base once it achieves an erection. The ED Pump is also known as Erectile Dysfunction Vacuum Pump. It can be availed either using a battery or manual operation.

Today, even medical doctors recommend the use of a penis pump to treat erectile dysfunction, for a few reasons:

1. Efficiency. When used regularly and correctly, men who suffer from erectile dysfunction can achieve erection.
2. Less risks. Unlike medications and surgeries, the use of an ed pump poses fewer risks.
3. Cost efficiency. Medications including the ones that are inserted through the penis tip and the penile injections are not only expensive, but also painful. And even after spending a fortune and enduring terrible pain, there is a lesser guarantee of positive results. However, with an erectile dysfunction pump, there are no succeeding expenses (like maintenance) while on treatment, except maybe if the penis pump itself is destroyed, which is also unlikely.
4. Non-invasiveness. An erectile dysfunction vacuum pump does not use or require surgery, penile injections, and insertion of a medication on a penis tip.
5. May counter other sexual effects as a result of a medical or health condition. The ed pump is also effective for men who have had a prostate surgery and or radiation therapy as treatment for prostate cancer. With regular and proper use, men can gain back their erection.

References:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/penis-pump/MY00795/DSECTION=why%2Dits%2Ddone

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2006/06/do_penis_pumps_work.html

Barrier Cream Comparison

A barrier cream is a type of skin care product used especially on hands to protect them from harmful irritants or chemicals. The hands are the parts of the skin mostly exposed to allergens, contaminants, germs, and dirt. Although the skin has its own defense against the environmental hazards, it is also vulnerable particularly if you frequently wash your hand. Constant washing of hands can dissolve skin’s natural barrier.

Baza Skin Cream

What is a Barrier Cream?

Barrier creams act like an invisible barrier to defend your hands from harmful chemicals and irritants. It can also help avoid further damage if your hands are already affected. When applied to your hand, the skin barrier cream is likened to gloves, albeit, invisible. It quickly dries and guards your hands while handling water and compounds that are solvent-based and which can cause skin chapping or cracking, and sometimes, bleeding. The Barrier Cream is neither greasy nor slippery. Some barrier creams have formula for soothing skin. It is highly recommended for workers to protect their hands from contracting dermatitis, inflammation, and other infections.

3M Cavilon Barrier Cream

Comparison of Skin Barrier Creams

Although generally, barrier creams are designed to protect hands and skin from infection and irritants, there are creams, which are specialized for certain people based on their career. Three brands of barrier creams that have good reviews are the following:

• Wonder Glove. This barrier cream is especially recommended for people who work in the medical fields like dentists, nurses, doctors, laboratory and medical staff, and hygienists. It is formulate with anti-microbial agents to sanitize your skin while protecting your hands while wearing gloves. It can also reduce the effects of wearing gloves.
• Neway’s. Neway’s Barrier Creams are for everyday use for the general public. They do not contain oil, silicone, or lanolin. They do not have any perfume at all. Neway’s can also protect your hands from pollutants, solar radiation, and too much cold or heat.
• DCP. For construction workers, DCP’s barrier creams are greaseless and do not contain silicone. They have soothing formula to help heal the hands, while enabling your skin to breathe.

 References:

 http://www.wonder-glove.com/

http://www.anewlife.co.uk/barrier-cream.html

http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/Barrier-Creams-protect-hands-from-harmful-chemicals-16953