Summary of Main Results • Surgical wounds that become infected are often debrided. Numerous methods are available but no consensus has been reached on which method is most effective for surgical wounds. • One study reported that dextranomer achieved a clean wound bed significantly faster than EUSOL (Edinburgh University solution of lime), but the methodological quality was poor in this study. • Another study that compared an enzymatic agent with saline-soaked dressings reported that the time required to achieve a clean wound bed was significantly shorter for the enzymatic group. However, the validity of the results is questionable because of the small sample size and the analysis of the data. Nursing Implications A number of study deficiencies reduced the confidence that the results of this study can be implemented in practice. These deficiencies include poor quality of the trials, small sample size, limited range of treatments, different control group for each study, lack of replication studies, and inappropriate statistical analysis. Additionally, 4 of the 5 RCTs compared the effectiveness of dextranomer beads or paste; however, as of 2007, use of dextranomer beads and paste was discontinued worldwide, except in South Africa, where paste only is available. The last RCT compared an enzymatic agent (streptokinase/streptodornase) with saline-soaked dressings, and streptokinase/streptodornase has also been discontinued worldwide. Numerous dressings and types of debridement are available for wound care today, yet there is still a limited amount of high-quality published RCTs that evaluate debridement or compare different methods of debridement for surgical wounds available to guide clinical decision making. The choice of debridement method or agent should be guided by good evidence. More research on which method is most effective in removing dead tissue from surgical wounds that have become infected is clearly needed.