Slough is the formation of a viscous, predominantly yellow layer of
tissue (7)

To remove all debris and promote autolysis

• Irrigate with warmed sodium chloride 0.9% if required to remove dressing debris
• Low Exudate - use a hydrocolloid dressing
• Moderate Exudate - use a hydrogel dressing (a foam dressing should be used as a secondary dressing
• Heavy Exudate - use an alginate or hydrofibre dressing (foam or a low-adherent dressing plus surgipads should be used depending on levels of exudate

• If the wound shows no evidence of improvement, consider alternative options, ie surgical debridement or larval therapy
• If the wound is exudating excessively requiring twice daily or more dressings, consider the use of surgipads as an alternative to a foam dressing, and refer to the Tissue Viability Nurse for advice
• Strike through of exudate on the dressing increases the risk of bacterial contamination (8)
• Surgical debridement of a wound should always be done by an experienced practitioner (9)

Remind the patient it is important that we change their dressings when strike-through occurs, and to inform a member of the nursing team when this happens