WOUND-HEALING - FOCUS ON THE CHRONIC WOUND

The chronic wound is defined and characterized by its delay in healing . There are a number of factors that play a role in rendering a wound chronic, and each should be assessed so that the approach to the indiv idual patient can be optimized. After the initial evaluation, the esse ntial next step in treatment of a chronic wound is to obtain adequate debridement to remove the burden posed by the eschar as well as the in fection that the eschar can foster. Subsequent healing may then be eit her spontaneous or further supported by reconstructive surgical means.