4. Wound
Wound is a
circumscribed injury
which is caused by
an external force and
it can involve any
tissue or organ.
Wound edge Wound
corner
Surface of
the wound
Base of the wound
Cross section of a simple wound
Skin surface
Subcutaneus tissue
Superficial fascia
Muscle layer
Base of the wound
Wound edge
Surface of
the wound
Wound
cavity
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5. DEFINITION OF A WOUND
A wound is a break in the skin, which may result from physical, mechanical or thermal
damage, or develop as a result of the presence of an underlying medical or
physiological disorder. For example:
Physical damage: pressure ulcers
Mechanical damage: abrasions, grazes, lacerations, knife wounds (surgery), or
bullet wounds and bites etc.
Thermal damage: burns caused by flames, chemicals, radiation, friction or
electricity and frostbite.
Medical or physiological disorder: arterial or venous ulcers, autoimmune,
endocrine, dermatology and haematological disorders, wounds associated with
certain systemic infections, malignant diseases or neuropathy.
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6. Wounds
Intentional Wounds: result from planned treatment
Unintentional Wounds: result from unexpected trauma…accident/ burns/ shooting
Open Wounds: skin broken, portal of entry
Closed Wounds: trauma from force, skin intact, soft tissue damage, internal injury, possible
bleeding
Acute Wounds: go through normal/timely healing process
Chronic Wounds: fail to go through normal stages of healing; no timely progress in
healing
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9. Accidental Wounds
Classification based on origin
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Mechanical
Abraded wound (vulnus abrasum)
Puncured wound (v. punctum)
Incised wound (v. scissum)
Cut wound (v. caesum)
Crush wound (v. contusum)
Torn wound (v. lacerum)
Bite wound (v. morsum)
Shot wound (v. sclopetarium)
Chemical
Acid
Base
Wounds caused by radiation
Wounds caused by thermal forces
Burning
Freezing
Special
Toxic, venoms
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10. Classification of wounds
Based on bacterial contamination
Clean wound
Clean-contaminated wound
Contaminated wound
Heavily contaminated or dirty wound
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11. Classification of wounds
Depending on the depth of injury
Superficial
Partial thickness
Full thickness
Deep wound
+ bone, opened cavities, organs…etc.
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12. Acute and Chronic Wounds
Acute wounds in normal, healthy individuals heal through an
orderly sequence of physiological events that include
hemostasis, inflammation, epithelialization, fibroplasia, and
maturation.
When this process is altered, a chronic wound may develop
and is more likely to occur in patients with underlying
disorders such as peripheral artery disease, diabetes, venous
insufficiency, nutritional deficiencies, and other disease states.
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14. Wound Healing
The purpose of acute inflammation is to eliminate the pathogenic insult and
remove injured tissue.
Healing is the restoration of integrity to an injured tissue.
Regeneration is the renewal of a lost tissue or part in which the lost cells are
replaced by identical ones through proliferation.
Repair is the orderly process by which a wound is eventually replaced by a scar.
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15. Classification of cells by proliferative
potential
Labile cells are found in tissues that are in a constant state of renewal (skin).
Stable cells are found in tissues that normally are renewed very slowly (liver).
Permanent cells are terminally differentiated and have lost all capacity for
regeneration (neurons).
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19. Phases of Wound Healing
Inflammatory phase (0-4 days)
Vasoconstriction
Hemostasis
Clot formation
Proliferative phase (2-3 days to 30 days)
Fibroblasts lay framework for ECM and new granulation
Angiogenesis connects new granulation
Epithelialization progresses across wound base
Remodeling phase (3 weeks to 2 years)
Completion of wound contraction with crosslinking of collagen and reduction in scar size
Tensile strength ultimately becomes nearly 80% of original
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31. Proliferation or Granulation
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Fibroblasts synthesize and secrete collagen
and other intercellular elements that
needed for wound healing
Fibroblasts also produce FGF that needed
for angiogenesis, wound contraction and
matrix deposition
Fibroblasts and vascular epithelial cells
begin proliferating and form granulation
tissue that serves as the foundation for scar
tissue development
32. Remodeling Phase
The principle cell involved in this process is the fibroblast. When the levels of
collagen production and degradation equalize, the maturation phase of tissue
repair is said to have begun] During maturation, type III collagen, which is
prevalent during proliferation, is replaced by type I collagen. Originally
disorganized collagen fibers are rearranged, cross-linked, and aligned along
tension lines.
Remodeling can take up to 2 years after wounding.
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34. Chronic Wounds
Acute wounds in normal, healthy individuals heal through an orderly
sequence of physiological events that include hemostasis, inflammation,
epithelialization, fibroplasia, and maturation.
Chronic wounds are arrested in one of these stages, usually the
inflammatory stage, and cannot progress further.
Chronic wounds are generally associated with physiological impairments
that slow or prevent wound healing. When this process is altered, a chronic
wound may develop and is more likely to occur in patients with underlying
disorders such as peripheral artery disease, diabetes, venous insufficiency,
nutritional deficiencies, and other disease states.
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40. Impaired Wound Healing
Local Factors
Inadequate blood supply
Increased skin tension
Poor surgical apposition
Wound dehiscence
Poor venous drainage
Presence of foreign body and foreign body
reactions
Continued presence of micro-organisms &
Infection
Excess local mobility, such as over a joint
Systemic Factors
Advancing age and general immobility
Obesity
Smoking
Malnutrition
Deficiency of vitamins and trace elements
Systemic malignancy and terminal illness Shock of
any cause
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy
Immunosuppressant drugs, corticosteroids,
anticoagulants
Inherited neutrophil disorders, such as leucocyte
adhesion deficiency
Diabetes and CRF
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42. Factors Affecting Wound Healing
An individual's ability to heal and the time required can vary greatly, and are influenced by the following factors, which
should be taken into consideration during assessment:
General physical and psychological health and type and level of concurrent illnesses
Treatment: systemically and locally
Nutritional and hydration status
Type of wound, location, depth and extent of damage and type of tissue in wound
Wound temperature, moisture level and pH balance
Levels of bacterial colonisation and infection
Blood supply to the wound and surrounding area & oedema of surrounding tissues
Disruption to normal sleep pattern
History of smoking and alcohol consumption
Medications such as steroids, immune-suppressants and chemotherapy.
environment
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44. Wound Management
Wound Debridement: Debridement is the removal of necrotic, devitalised, sloughy or infected tissue,
or foreign bodies from a wound. The body can debride itself by a natural process called autolysis;
however, this may take time if large amounts of slough are present. Slough can provide an environment
for bacteria to thrive, increasing the risk of infection. Debridement is recommended as a principle of
wound management
Autolytic debridement: where the body gradually sheds itself of devitalised tissue. This process can be
augmented by the use of dressings such as hydrogels, hydrocolloids or capillary action dressings, alginates,
foams, antiseptic dressings.
Bio-surgery: sterile larvae (maggots)
Sharp debridement: using a sterile blade, scalpel or scissors. This should only be undertaken by a healthcare
professional with specific training and competence.
Surgical debridement: used when there is an urgent clinical need to remove or drain devitalised tissue and when
fast debridement would speed patient recovery. If this is required the patient should be referred to a surgeon.
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45. Wound Management
Effective Exudate Management: PRINCIPLE OF MOISTURE BALANCE
Drier wounds, (except those with poor circulation), should be moistened with
dressings that hydrate tissue, e.g. hydrogels, hydrocolloid sheets and pastes.
Wounds with excess exudate require dressings that absorb or control fluid, e.g.
alginates, hydrofibres, capillary action, foams, Negative Pressure Wound
Therapy (NPWT) and compression bandages and hosiery.
Surrounding intact skin should be protected from exudate with barrier films,
creams and absorbent dressings as it can cause excoriation.
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