Wound Bed Preparation

As discussed over the previous two weeks’ articles, biofilms are communities of microorganisms that attach to the wound surface encasing themselves in an extracellular polysaccharide matrix.1 As biofilms can present a real barrier to wound healing, it is important that they are identified and dealt with as a matter of priority.2 The first step towards managing…

Biofilms are communities of microorganisms that attach to the wound surface encasing themselves in an extracellular polysaccharide matrix.1 Because multiple types of organism can exist synergistically within a biofilm, often displaying remarkable antibacterial resistance, biofilms can present a real barrier to wound healing.2 Biofilm Formation The complex molecular nature of a biofilm is not yet…

Our next topic for discussion within these bulletins will be the subject of biofilms. Although the term ‘biofilm’ was only coined in the 1970s, the phenomenon of microbes existing together in colonies that adhere to a surface has been recognized for decades. In 1940, Heukelekian and Heller wrote in the Journal of Bacteriology, ‘Surfaces enable…

The effective and efficient management of wound infections is one of the most important skills for the wound care professional to master. Regardless of any other intervention that is applied, no matter how sophisticated, a wound will not properly heal if an untreated infection is present. Topical Antimicrobials Antimicrobial therapy is key to managing wound…

All wounds, whether resulting from physical injury or idiopathic causes, are susceptible to infection. Identifying wound infection is one of the most important roles of the wound care specialist, as an unmanaged infection can lead to chronic non-healing wounds and a wide range of complications. The Five Signs of Wound Infection Most wound care professionals…

All skin has a certain resident level of bacteria and fungi known as microflora. This may be a difficult concept for patients familiar with advertisements for cleaners that ‘remove all germs’, but this resident microflora is an essential part of the body’s protection against pathogenic organisms. The presence of this low-level, non-replicating microbial presence is…

We all know it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Unfortunately, this principle extends beyond chocolate and red wine into certain aspects of wound healing. Although we are taught that inflammation is an essential phase of the wound healing process, an excessive inflammatory response can actually slow wound healing, leaving patients…

Surgical site infections are a common complication of surgery, occurring in around 2–5% of all surgical procedures, and extending a patient’s length of stay by an average of 9.7 days. Including readmissions, this accounts for close to 1 million additional inpatient-days nationally, and a staggering $1.6 billion in excess costs. Wound infection is clearly a…