Wound Bed Preparation

Advanced wound care technologies have come a long way in treating chronic wounds. However, diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) can be challenging, and not every patient should have identical treatment. Utilizing a patient-centered approach is necessary for selecting appropriate treatments and achieving best possible outcomes. Understanding the specific patient’s needs and understanding the pathophysiology of diabetic wound chronicity are key elements in DFU management. The primary goal should be wound closure, while also preventing recurrence. To achieve both goals, clinicians must incorporate ongoing education and clinical support. Health care professionals should keep up on latest evidence-based research and practices to select the best advanced treatment for each patient.

By Cheryl Carver, LPN, WCC, CWCA, FACCWS, DAPWCA, CLTC The big debate continues in regards to using wet-to-dry dressings. One thing that is for certain though is that this type of dressing is frowned upon in long-term care facilities per the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) Guidelines for pressure ulcers. However, long-term care facilities are put at risk for citations when using wet-to-dry dressings for any wound type.

Treatment of chronic and complex wounds complicated by biofilm formed by pathogens remains a tremendous challenge for the health care industry. Recent increases in infections mediated by drug-resistant bacterial and fungal pathogens highlight the need for new antimicrobial therapies. The application of topical agents with antimicrobial and antiseptic properties is gaining traction as an alternative to antibiotic prescriptions.

Wound bed preparation is vital to treating biofilm. Resistant to antibiotic treatment, biofilm not only stalls the healing process of chronic wounds but also puts patients at greater risk for amputation. Clinicians should follow the process of successful wound healing described in the TIMERS framework (Tissue, Inflammation/infection, Moisture imbalance, Epithelial edge advancement, Repair/regeneration, and Social factors) to guide wound care. Proper wound bed preparation recognizes that biofilm prevention and treatment in chronic wounds incorporate aggressive wound debridement to suppress biofilm regrowth, disrupt the bacterial burden, and promote a healthy wound bed environment

By Bruce E. Ruben MD In the beginning, long before Johnson met Johnson and Band-Aids were invented, primitive men and women suffered minor cuts and abrasions and probably left them uncovered to heal. After all, the bleeding had stopped, a scab eventually formed and experience had taught them that their skin would heal in a week or two. So there was no great rush to find a use for those puffy, cottony, soft, white plants growing in the fields just yet.

By the WoundSource Editors A wound specialist’s job is to outline the options available for treatment. It is the patient’s job to choose a treatment option. Patients do not even have to select the best option. They must choose an option that works for them given their unique circumstances having a wound. When it comes to selecting debridement methods there are several options to choose from. This article will provide an overview of the most common debridement methods.