Published in The Surgical clinics of North America
Since the dawn of humanity, wounds have afflicted humans, and healers have held responsibility for treating them. This article tracks the evolution of wound care from antiquity to the present, highlighting the roles of surgeons, scientists, culture, and society in the ever-changing management of traumatic and iatrogenic injuries. Copyright © 2020 E...
Published in The Surgical clinics of North America
Published in The Surgical clinics of North America
Wound healing is affected by several factors. Preexisting diagnoses may significantly alter, delay, or inhibit normal wound healing. This is most commonly seen with chronic disorders, such as diabetes and renal failure, but also occurs secondary to aging and substance abuse. Less commonly, genetic or inflammatory disorders are the cause of delayed ...
Published in The Surgical clinics of North America
This article reviews techniques for wound coverage that are not amenable to simple linear closure. The relevant anatomy and classification of flaps is discussed, as well as specific techniques for successful flap design. Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Published in The Surgical clinics of North America
Chronic wounds often are the result of bone deformities, compounded by musculotendinous and ligamentous imbalance. Sensory neuropathy places patients at greater risk for acute wounds to develop into chronic wounds. Etiologies of these deforming forces include Charcot neuroarthropathy, trauma, and congenital and acquired neuromuscular disorders. Man...
Published in The Surgical clinics of North America
This review of the literature concerning bacteria, antibiotics and tissue repair shows there are extensive data supporting microbial interference with wound healing once bacterial burden exceeds 104 CFU per unit of measure, The mechanism of bacterial interference lies largely in prolonging the inflammatory phase of tissue repair. Reducing the micro...
Published in The Surgical clinics of North America
The discipline of reconstructive surgery has been slow to accept the role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as an adjunct to surgery, despite clinical and experimental data showing potential benefits. Obstacles prevent this acceptance; one of the most potent is surgeon bias. This article attempts to lessen this bias by reviewing the benefits of H...
Published in The Surgical clinics of North America
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) affects many individuals worldwide and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Controversy exists on whether or not to screen asymptomatic patients. Further complicating this is that many patients with a chronic lower extremity wound are often asymptomatic. PAD and traditional noninvasive vascular stu...
Published in The Surgical clinics of North America
Published in The Surgical clinics of North America
In this review, the author summarizes the role of biofilm formation in chronic nonhealing wound infections along with characteristics of biofilm formation, diagnosis, detection, and treatment. Because biofilms are still not clearly understood, treatment and diagnosis are currently difficult. Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
