How to Fill an Open Wound: Step-by-Step Packing Guide
How to fill an open wound?
The Quick Answer
**Pack wounds loosely—not tightly**—using sterile gauze, alginate rope, or hydrogel strips moistened with saline. Insert material gently into the deepest portion using forceps or clean fingers, filling dead space without pressure. Leave a 1–2cm 'tail' extending from the wound for easy removal. Change packing every 24–48 hours. Never pack so tightly that it compromises blood flow or causes pain during insertion.
Why We Ask This
Well-intentioned caregivers either avoid packing (leaving dead space that harbors bacteria) or over-pack (causing pressure necrosis)—both extremes compromising healing in complex wounds requiring cavity management while patients experience unnecessary pain from improper technique.
The Practical Science
Loose packing maintains wound edge approximation while preventing premature surface closure over unhealed depth. The 'snug but not tight' principle ensures capillary ingrowth isn't compressed—studies show wounds packed with >30mmHg pressure develop ischemic zones that delay healing by 50% versus optimally packed counterparts.
In Clinical Practice
For a 4cm deep pilonidal sinus, a clinician moistens alginate rope with saline, gently inserts it into the cavity without resistance, leaves 1cm extending externally, and covers with absorptive secondary dressing—allowing granulation to progress from depth outward without epithelial bridging over unhealed tissue.
References & Context
Learning About Packing Your Wound - My Health Alberta"Pack your wound.Use clean hands.Take packing material from the bowl. Gently squeeze it out. It should be wet, but not dripping wet.Fill the wound with packing material. Don't pack it too tightly. ... Be gentle. Let your doctor know if it hurts too much."