Can You Pack a Wound With Xeroform? Safe Technique Guide
Can I pack a wound with Xeroform?
The Quick Answer
Yes—Xeroform is **approved for wound packing** in tunnels, sinus tracts, or deep cavities. Cut strips to fit wound dimensions without over-packing, leave a tab extending from the wound for easy removal, cover with secondary dressing, and change daily. Never pack tightly—maintain slight contact with wound walls to support moist healing without pressure necrosis.
Why We Ask This
Patients either avoid packing wounds (leaving dead space that harbors bacteria) or over-pack (causing pressure necrosis)—both extremes compromising healing in complex wounds requiring cavity management.
The Practical Science
Packing maintains wound edge approximation while preventing premature surface closure over unhealed depth. Xeroform's non-adherent properties prevent trauma during removal—critical for fragile granulation tissue in wound cavities.
In Clinical Practice
For a pilonidal sinus tract, a clinician loosely packs Xeroform strips into the cavity, leaving 1cm extending externally, covers with absorptive pad, and changes daily—allowing granulation to progress from depth outward without epithelial bridging.
References & Context
Xeroform Petrolatum Gauze Dressings | WoundSource"Xeroform Petrolatum Gauze Dressings are for use as an initial layer in surgical dressings, on skin graft sites, for treatment of first-degree burns or abrasions or as wound packing."