Top 5 Wound Management Guidelines That Matter to You and Your Patient

Top 5 Wound Management Guidelines That Matter to You and Your Patient

2 Comments

Wound care is a collaborative effort between you and your patient. There are numerous wound management guidelines that favor both the clinician and the patient. Top 5 Wound Management Guidelines Wound Cleansing At one time, wounds were cleansed or irrigated with solutions that later proved to be toxic to healthy cells. Most experts now recommend…

Treating Wounds in Children

Treating Wounds in Children

2 Comments

Much of the management of wounds in children is based upon clinical research and practical experience gained in adults, and on wound care products developed with an older population in mind. Although the basic principles of wound care are consistent across adults and children, there are some important differences that should be considered when treating…

Epidemiology and Etiology of Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Epidemiology and Etiology of Diabetic Foot Ulcers

3 Comments

Diabetic foot problems, including ulcerations, infections, and gangrene, are the most common grounds for hospitalization among diabetic patients. In particular, foot ulceration affects between 15 and 25 percent of patients with diabetes mellitus during their lifetime. 1Diabetic foot ulcers are notoriously difficult to heal, and may take weeks or months to close, even if treated promptly…

Fistulas

A fistula is an abnormal opening between two epithelial surfaces,1-3 usually involving a communication tract from one body cavity or hollow organ to another body cavity or hollow organ. For example, a gastrointestinal fistula joints the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract to another organ, while an enterocutaneous fistula involves a communication between the lumen of the…

Prevent Scarring – Scarring Reduction

Excessive scar formation results from an abnormal physiologic response to an injury deep in the dermis, including burn injury, laceration, abrasion, or surgery (Figure 1).1–3 Elevated fibrous scars that extend beyond the borders of the original wound and usually occur after excision are known as keloids, while hypertrophic scars are maintained within the initial site…

Vascular Evaluation – Venous Insufficiency
|

Vascular Evaluation – Venous Insufficiency

In our last article, we briefly looked at some of the techniques most commonly used in clinical practice to assess arterial insufficiency. This week, we turn our attention to venous insufficiency. Many of the techniques used are the same or similar but offer a different diagnosis and, importantly, mandate a different wound management approach. Ankle-Brachial…