Description

In surgical speciality, understanding of the wound healing is absolutely necessary. There are different kinds of wounds that require treatment which is most appropriate to them. In this chapter, we have discussed treatment for different types of wounds in four main types according to WHO Classification. Pros and cons of different types of materials used for cleaning and dressing are discussed. Dressing materials are discussed in detail. We have described the process of wound healing. There are various factors that influence wound healing and we have specifically described how they differ in primary and secondary wound healing. Usage of various kinds of dressing materials and their mechanism of action is described in detail. We have specifically highlighted the role of community nurses and tissue viability nurses. Since the availability and the recognition of tissue viability nurses, the cost of wound treatment has come down considerably and it is also very popular with the patients. Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy is very helpful in large wounds that are producing a lot of exudates. The VAC pulls the skin edges together and removes the exudate. Other adjunctive therapies are also mentioned but they are not available in most hospitals and therefore detailed descriptions are not provided.

Chapter