Debridement and Wound Care: Important Terms to Know

by the WoundSource Editors

Conservative sharp debridement: Conservative sharp debridement is done outside the operating room, and although it removes necrotic tissue and debris, it is not as aggressive a procedure as surgical sharp debridement.

Eschar: Eschar is dead tissue and is found only in full- thickness wounds. It may be tan, brown, or black.

Fibroblasts: Fibroblasts have several roles in wound healing, including breaking down fibrin clots, creating new extracellular matrix and collagen structures, and contracting the wound.

Hydrosurgical debridement: As a form of debridement, hydrosurgery uses a high-pressure fluid jet that runs parallel to the wound’s surface to draw non-viable tissue into a cutting chamber for excision and removal.

Keratinocytes: Keratinocytes are major components of the epidermis. They are involved in the initiation, maintenance, and completion of wound healing.

Neutrophils: Neutrophils, among the most abundant cells in the immune system, take an active part in the wound healing process. Neutrophils sterilize the wound and allow other cells to function appropriately.

Senescent cells: Senescent cells release a continuous cascade of cytokines, growth factors, proteases, and other substances. Chronic wounds may have an elevated number of these cells, thus resulting in disruptive cell signaling and delayed wound healing.

Surgical sharp debridement: Surgical sharp debridement is debridement performed under sterile conditions in the operating room. It is the most effective and efficient way of converting a chronic wound to an acute wound and restarting the healing process.

TIME: A mnemonic device for the elements of wound healing: Tissue management, Inflammation and Infection, Moisture balance, and Edge or Epithelial advancement. Recent updates include the addition of R for Regeneration and S for Social factors.

Ultrasonic debridement: Ultrasonic debridement uses low-frequency sound waves to remove non-viable tissue by emulsification of the tissue.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author, and do not represent the views of WoundSource, Kestrel Health Information, Inc., its affiliates, or subsidiary companies