Discharge Instructions: Caring for Your Transcyte Dressing
DISCHARGE AND AFTERCARE

Discharge Instructions: Caring for Your Transcyte Dressing

October 06, 2017

Discharge Instructions: Caring for Your Transcyte Dressing

You are going home with a Transcyte dressing. This covers a second- or third-degree burn. This type of dressing reduces your need for dressing changes. It will stay in place until your wound is healed. You can perform most of your normal activities with the Transcyte in place. But you can’t take a bath or submerge it in water. Here's what you need to know.

What to expect

  • The dressing is transparent.

  • As your skin heals, the Transcyte dressing will get crusty. It may itch.

  • About 7 to 14 days after the dressing was placed, it will begin to lift off at the edges.

Wound care

  • Don’t remove the gauze bandage over the Transcyte dressing for 48 to 72 hours after it is put in place.

  • Limit your activity of the area where the Transcyte dressing is placed for the next 48 hours to help it to adhere.

  • Once the gauze is removed, you can return to most of your normal activities.

  • Shower daily, but don’t soak in a tub:

    • Use a separate washcloth to gently wash the Transcyte. Don’t scrub it.

    • Rinse the dressing well.

    • Dry yourself and pat the Transcyte dry with a separate towel. Use a hair dryer set on cool to dry the Transcyte if you wish.

  • Check the wound for signs of infection, like redness, swelling, drainage, or a bad smell.

  • As the Transcyte begins to lift up and your wound starts to heal, trim off the loose edges of the dressing. Use clean scissors that you have wiped off with an alcohol swab. Stop trimming if it is painful or if it causes bleeding.

  • Apply lotion or moisturizing cream to the areas where you have trimmed off the Transcyte.

  • Don't cover Transcyte with other dressings. You don’t have to worry that it will fall off.

Follow-up

Make a follow-up appointment, or as directed by your healthcare provider.

When to call your healthcare provider

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following:

  • Increased redness, swelling, or warmth in the skin around the wound

  • Fluid building up under the Transcyte

  • Bad smell coming from the wound

  • Fever above 100.4°F (38°C) or chills

  • Increasing pain

  • Bleeding

Updated:  

October 06, 2017

Sources:  

Hospenthal, DR. Guidelines for the Prevention of infections Associated With Combat-Related Injuries. Journal of Trauma, Injury, and Critical Care 92011); 71(2); pp. s210-s234, Laith, A., Skin Substitutes: A Brief Review of Types and Clinical Applications, Oman Medical Journal (2009); 24(1); 4-6, Local Treatment of Burns: Topical Antimicrobial agents and dressings. UpToDate, Shahriar, S., The Use of Dermal Substitutes in Burn Surgery: Acute Phase, Wound Repair Regen. (2014); 22(1)

Reviewed By:  

Sudheendra, Deepak, MD,Taylor, Wanda, L., RN, PhD