MALODOUR

Odour from a wound may be offensive and has the potential to have a huge psychological effect on the patient and their quality of life. It is important that the source of the odour is identified, if devitalised tissue is involved, debridement and removal of dead tissue would prevent further deterioration and improve odour control. However this may not be possible with fungating lesions. Malodorous wounds may require treatment with silver, honey or sugar paste to reduce the bacterial count and therefore reduce the unpleasant smell. Furthermore, some charcoal dressings now incorporate antimicrobial properties of silver which are absorbent and reduce the bioburden of the wound thus reducing odour (Benbow, 2009).