Wound Healing

Patient education should be a priority to empower patients to care for themselves and improve patient outcomes. Involving patients in their own care can help them to understand about their wound and be more adherent to the overall treatment plan. Remember to involve the caregiver or family if applicable. Ask your patient questions about who will be changing the dressing so the appropriate parties can be involved.

Silver nitrate is commonly used to chemically cauterize a wound for hemostasis after debridement or treatment of hypergranulation tissue. It is an inorganic and radiodense material with antimicrobial properties that can be used as a solution or an applicator stick.

By Becky Naughton, RN, MSN, FNP-C, WCC

As a wound care nurse practitioner, when I see granulation tissue start to form on a wound, I do a little happy dance. Granulation tissue is a sign that the wound is on its way past an often-stubborn inflammatory phase of healing and progressing into the building phase of proliferation. But what exactly is granulation tissue? And why does its presence indicate that the wound is healing? Let’s explore this a bit more.

By Lauren Lazarevski, RN, BSN, CWOCN

Could metallic micronutrients be the missing link for your patient with a chronic wound? When we consider the nutrition required to optimize wound healing, protein supplementation is usually the star of the show. However, there are micronutrients involved in wound healing on a cellular level. Although the daily requirements may be small, they are mighty—and if deficient, they may be the missing step in healing a chronic wound.

Aseptic: Aseptic surgical procedures are those that aim at eliminating the risk of transmission of all harmful microorganisms. Aseptic practices can prevent the cross-contamination of pathogens.

Bioburden: The number of microorganisms within a wound is referred to as bioburden. Bioburden management is crucial in post-operative care to prevent infection.

Cellular/tissue-based products: These are products, commonly derived from cadavers or other human and other animal cells, that can aid in closing dehisced surgical wounds by providing a substitute for the skin to act as a barrier while healing.

By the WoundSource Editors

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) continue to be a major problem, causing patient suffering, burden, infections, and high mortality. The cost of DFU treatment was estimated at $1.3 trillion globally in 2015. Despite evolving advanced wound care technologies through the years, DFUs continue to be among the most challenging chronic wound types.

By the WoundSource Editors

Wound healing is a complex biological process that involves a sequence of molecular and cellular events to restore damaged tissue. These events occur within the extracellular matrix, a complex three-dimensional acellular environment that is present within all tissue and essential for life. Remodeling within this extracellular matrix is necessary for tissue repair throughout the wound healing process, including during the inflammatory phase.

By the WoundSource Editors

Wound reepithelialization is key in the goal of wound closure. Reepithelialization is a coordinated multifactorial systemic process that involves formation of new epithelium and skin appendages. The epithelialization process can be stalled by a number of factors, all of which must be resolved before wound healing can move forward.

By the WoundSource Editors

Necrotic wounds are characterized by devitalized, or dead, tissue. Necrosis may be caused by malignancy, infection, trauma, ischemia, inflammation, or exposure to toxins. It may also be caused by improper care of an existing wound site. Devitalized tissue has no blood supply, and its presence prevents wound healing. It is necessary for necrotic tissue to be removed to allow wound healing to occur.

By the WoundSource Editors

After an injury or surgery, the body responds by forming scar tissue. Scar formation is a normal part of the wound healing process, but not all scars are the same. Some scars form in only the superficial epidermal layers, whereas others encompass deeper subdermal layers, involving nerves and tendons. The process of scar formation is the result of myofibroblast cells forming new collagen fibers to repair a wound.