Abstract
Chronic wounds fail to heal in a timely fashion, do not progress through the normal phases of wound healing in an orderly manner, and may remain in a dysregulated inflammatory phase. By creating a moist wound environment, dressings can be used to speed the healing of chronic wounds. The choice of dressing is often determined by wound characteristics (e.g. depth, amount of exudate), availability, cost, and patient preference. The main categories of wound dressings are films, foams, hydrogels, alginates, gelling fibers, hydrocolloids, and superabsorbents.
The presence of bacteria in the wound environment may delay healing and when critical colonization is present, antiseptics (e.g. silver, iodine) can be employed. Negative pressure wound therapy is helpful in the management of various wounds, especially those that are postsurgical. An important component of the treatment regimen for venous ulcers of the lower extremities is compression therapy (e.g. stockings, bandages).
Scientific and clinical advances, including growth factors, stem cells and skin substitutes, have increased the therapeutic options for refractory chronic wounds. Dermatologists often care for patients with wounds and need to know how to select and apply wound dressings based upon the specific clinical scenario in order to promote healing and improve the patient’s quality of life.