Infected Wounds

By the WoundSource Editors

With multiple risk factors impeding wound healing and wounds often diagnosed with mixed etiology, wound healing can be complicated. Understanding the pathophysiology of wound healing can help clinicians to better comprehend the needs of a wound to help it progress through the stages of wound healing.

By Thomas E. Serena, MD, FACS

Conceived in the operating theater and born in the home, surgical site infections (SSIs) reach maturity in the outpatient wound clinic. The woundologist, whether surgically trained or not, must understand the prevention and treatment of SSIs and wound dehiscence. For the past two years I have had the honor of giving the SSI lecture for the WoundSource Practice Accelerator™. This year listeners had more questions than I could answer on the call or address individually. I decided to dedicate this blog to the most frequently asked questions from the October presentation.

By Margaret Heale, RN, MSc, CWOCN

Oral health is more than just important. As a child in a family supported by the state, we could afford hot water for a bath only once a week, but I cleaned my teeth twice a day and had regular dental visits. At school, we were taught to brush our teeth, and the twice a day routine was reinforced. I remember as a 16 year old showing my junior charges the scuzzy stuff at the gum margin and telling them it was called plaque. At nursing school, I once again was taught how to brush teeth, and we practiced on each other. Oral hygiene may seem irrelevant to wound care, but there is no doubt that the mouth can release bacteria into the bloodstream and be the root cause of deep bone infections after orthopedic surgery, pneumonia in intensive care unit (ICU), and subacute bacterial endocarditis.

By the WoundSource Editors

Toronto, Canada – November 4, 2019 – MolecuLight Inc., the world's leader in handheld fluorescence imaging for real-time visualization of bacteria for chronic wounds, has been informed by the American Medical Association (AMA) that in its summary of panel actions September 2019 meeting, the CPT® Editorial Panel accepted the addition of new Category III codes 0X30T, 0X31T to report "wound bacterial localization and treatment" effective date July 1, 2020 to enable a reimbursement pathway for point-of-care fluorescence wound imaging. At that time a novel code excluding the "X" will be reported by the AMA when the final datafiles are distributed by the AMA. Point-of-care fluorescence wound imaging is achieved using MolecuLight's handheld fluorescence imaging device, the i:X®.

By Emily Greenstein, APRN, CNP, CWON, FACCWS

It’s that time of year again. For the leaves to change, all the ghouls and goblins to come alive, and for a sudden influx of sugar! After the success of last year's blog post "How Being a Wound Specialist Can Help You Survive a Zombie Apocalypse," I knew I had to do another Halloween-themed post. In my practice I have seen an influx of animals bites this summer, which got me to thinking, what if you were bitten by a werewolf or vampire?

By the WoundSource Editors

Wounds resulting from surgical procedures have many commonalities with wounds of other etiologies. However, there are a few notable differences in their classification, as well as in the recommended care practices that promote the healing of these wounds. In understanding these differences, it is important to understand the classification of surgical wounds.

By the WoundSource Editors

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define a surgical site infection (SSI) as "an infection that occurs after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place." The CDC go on to say the infection can be superficial involving just the skin or more serious infections can occur that involve deeper structures, such as tissue under the skin, organs, or implanted devices or materials. The CDC offer tools and guidelines to prevent SSIs and provide education to the public. Public education includes tips and advice on how to prevent patient surgical sites from becoming infected. Although such steps may not always prevent a surgical wound from becoming infected, it is always important to involve the patient in postoperative care.

By the WoundSource Editors

With an associated cost of $3.5 billion to $10 billion spent annually on surgical site infections (SSIs) and complications in the United States, it is important to know how to assess for surgical wound complications. There is a difference between the normal cascade response and a brewing infection. Symptoms of infection are often the first clue that there is more occurring in the wound than meets the eye.

Heidi Cross, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CWON

"Me and Jenny goes together like peas and carrots." – Forrest Gump

Just like Forrest's peas and carrots, a pressure ulcer lawsuit and a pain and suffering allegation inevitably "goes together." For good reason, because pain is an ever-present problem in patients with pressure ulcers, venous and arterial ulcers, and even diabetic ulcers, despite sensory issues. How do you, as a health care provider, best protect and defend yourself against a pain and suffering allegation?

By the WoundSource Editors

Biofilm: this term is frequently used in the wound care space, but biofilm continues to be largely undertreated in wound care. What do the bedside nurse or clinician need to know about biofilm? Should clinicians care less about biofilm on a maintenance or palliative wound versus a wound they are actively trying to heal? Let's address these questions and get to the root of the biofilm in managing complex wound cases.