Edema

By the WoundSource Editors

Edema is the abnormalaccumulation of excess fluid within tissue. The swelling associated with edema can be localized to a small area following an acute injury, it can affect an entire limb or a specific organ, or it can be generalized throughout the entire body. Edema is not a disease, but rather a symptom that can indicate general health status, side effects of medications, or serious underlying medical conditions.

By Fabiola Jimenez, RN, ACNS-BC, CWOCN

Have you noticed the tissue trauma that occurs to the posterior aspect of the scrotum? It appears like road rash, partial tissue loss, and denudation. Many times it is weepy, and looks it appears quite painful to the patient.

By the WoundSource Editors

Edema is swelling that occurs when there is an excessive amount of fluids within the intracellular space, typically within subcutaneous tissues. Edema is more commonly experienced in the lower extremities and other areas that are farther from the heart. Edema may be dependent, caused by gravitational forces on the fluids that are greater than the mechanisms designed to overcome these forces. Edema may also be generalized throughout the entire body or localized, restricted to a single area.

Fort Worth, Texas – April 26, 2018 – SteadMed Medical, a leading provider of acute and chronic wound care products, announces it has developed a new wrap with their core Drawtex Hydroconductive Dressing Technology that assists in the management of edema.

by the Wound Source Editors

Chronic non-healing wounds affect millions of patients each year and contribute significantly to their morbidity and mortality. These wounds have a substantial impact because of their economic burden and the significant effect on the reduction in quality of life, as well as the increased risk of death for those patients affected by them.¹ A 2014 study of Medicare data showed that chronic non-healing wounds and associated complications affect nearly 15% or 8.2 million Medicare beneficiaries. The study also estimated the cost to treat these wounds at between $28.1 billion and $31.7 billion annually.² The highest costs were associated with infected or reopened surgical wounds, and outpatient care had the highest site-of-service costs. In addition to being older, most of these patients have obesity and diabetes. Underlying causes often include diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, arterial insufficiency, and pressure ulcers. The list of complications contributing not only to chronicity but also to further deterioration is quite lengthy.

By Janet Wolfson PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

Acute care wound or edema professionals are bombarded with multiple kinds of edema that can be treated in many ways—and with many choices of compression garments. What to choose?

By the WoundSource Editors

Whether due to injury or surgery, wound healing normally progresses steadily through an orderly set of stages. Wounds that don't heal within 30 days are considered chronic. Wounds that become chronic generally stall in one or more of the phases of wound healing. Here are 10 of the most common factors affecting wound healing in chronic wounds:

By Bruce E. Ruben MD

A non-healing wound is generally defined as a wound that will not heal within four weeks. If a wound does not heal within this usual time period, the cause is usually found in underlying conditions that have either gone unnoticed or untreated. In general, there are five reasons why wounds will not heal and more than one of these conditions can be operating at the same time.

By Laurie Swezey RN, BSN, CWOCN, CWS, FACCWS

Lymphedema can be defined as swelling of one or more limbs which may also include a portion of the corresponding trunk. Lymphedema can also affect the breast, head, neck or genitalia. It occurs when fluid and other components such as protein accumulate in the tissue spaces as a result of a disparity between the creation of interstitial fluid and its transport or movement. It may be caused by damage to the lymphatic system (i.e., as a result of cancer treatment) or as the result of a congenital malformation of the lymphatic system. It is a chronic condition with no cure, but it can be managed if diagnosed early on.

By Laurie Swezey RN, BSN, CWOCN, CWS, FACCWS

Arterial ulcers can cause much pain for patients and consternation for the wound care professionals tasked with managing them. Arterial ulcers can be a catch-22 in that many patients with arterial ulcers present with edema, but due to the nature of their problem cannot be safely compressed.