Risk Factors

By Martin D. Vera, LVN, CWS Wound clinicians across the nation (and the world) are commonly faced with the difficult task of managing lower extremity wounds. Lower extremity wounds come in many different forms. We are not faced with a generic type, but several—in fact, we never know what we'll be presented with day-to-day.

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 Holly Hovan, MSN, RN-BC, APRN-CNS, CWOCN-AP What is mobility? Typically, when we hear the word mobility, we think about our ability to move, with or without assistance. In a long-term care setting, we often hear the words, "mobility aids," which are typically pieces of medical equipment that are used to enhance mobility—wheelchairs, walkers, canes, power wheelchairs, crutches, and even guide dogs for those who are sight impaired. There are many intrinsic and extrinsic factors that impact one's mobility, which will be discussed in this blog.

by the WoundSource Editors Chronic non-healing venous ulcer wounds are an economic burden to the health care system and are the most common type of leg ulcer, affecting around 1% of the population, with 3% of people aged over 80. With obesity and diabetes on the rise, the burden is likely to continue to increase. Lowered quality of life, amputation, and death are often the results of venous leg ulcer chronicity, and the rate of recurrence within three months after wound closure has been reported to be as high as 70%.

Picture this: you've been seeing a patient in your wound center for the last several months to treat a slowly healing post-operative abdominal wound. The wound has been gradually responding to an assortment of treatments, including initial wound vacuum therapy after the surgery, followed by alginate and now a collagen dressing. The wound is getting smaller and has new granulation tissue at the base. You're actually a bit surprised that it's healing so nicely because the patient has multiple serious chronic illnesses, including severe chronic kidney disease that requires hemodialysis sessions three times per week, type 2 diabetes, morbid obesity, cardiovascular disease, and peripheral vascular disease.

By the WoundSource Editors A pilonidal cyst is a pimple-like cyst typically located in the sacrococcygeal region of the body, usually near the top of the intergluteal cleft (also referred to as the natal cleft). Rarely, pilonidal cysts may also manifest between digits. This common condition is seen most frequently in men who are between 16 and 24 years old. The name "pilonidal”" is derived from Latin and literally means "nest of hair" because this condition frequently involves a hair follicle. The pit of the pilonidal cyst contains hair and skin debris that produce a foreign body reaction, resulting in localized inflammation and pain.

by the WoundSource Editors A venous leg ulcer (VLU) is caused by vein disease that primarily affects older adults. As a prevalent problem among older patients, providing care for individuals with VLUs is time-consuming and costly. The direct costs vary from country to country, with reporting numbers of €800 monthly in Germany. Statistics report $2,500 monthly in the United States per patient, and given the chronic nature of VLUs, the cumulative costs per patient increase rapidly.

By Miranda Henry, Editorial Director of WoundSource Twenty years ago, WoundSource™ became the first-ever comprehensive wound care reference guide for clinicians. It contained just nine product categories and did not yet include such innovations as hand-held wound assessment systems and cellular-based wound treatments, which have now become a part of standard wound management practice.

By Cathy Wogamon, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, CWON, CFCN A pilonidal cyst is a pocket located at the top of the cleft of the buttocks that usually results from an embedded or stiff hair. This area may remain dormant for years and cause no major issues; however, often the embedded or stiff hair may cause the cyst to become inflamed and infected, resulting in an abscess that requires an incision to drain the infected material. These abscesses can recur, causing the patient to require surgical intervention to remove the cyst. After surgery, some patients tend not to heal well, and the result is a chronic, tracking wound in an area that is difficult to heal.