Wound types

To complement Nicola Ackerman's article on MRSA in the veterinary environment the following article is written by a Registed Nurse and explains the principles applied to the prevention of the spread of infection when nursing human patients.     

Wound management

Wound management makes up an important part of the emergency physician's practice. Understanding the physiology of wound healing and the patient and wound factors affecting this process is essential for the proper treatment of wounds. There are many options available for wound closure. Each modality has its benefits and its drawbacks, and some are appropriate only for certain types of wounds. The goal is to achieve the best functional and cosmetically appealing scar while avoiding complications.     

Wound infections after cesarean section with Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum. A report of three cases

Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum were isolated from the surgical wounds of three patients who developed endometritis and a wound infection after cesarean section. In all patients, aspiration of the incision yielded a cloudy serosanguinous exudate. Gram stain of the fluid revealed numerous white blood cells but no bacteria. All patients responded to antibiotic therapy and local wound care.     

Wound dressings

Each child, wound and wound site is unique and these factors will impact on the type of dressing the nurse decides to use. Wound dressings broadly fall into a number of classes, depending on the material they are made of. The nurse should be aware of the particular characteristics of each class of dressing and the impact these can have on wound healing. Modern wound dressings are designed to do one or more of three things: protect, debride and absorb excess exudate. With this knowledge the nurse can make the most appropriate selections and provide explanations to parents and child about the choices available.     

Wound healing

Wound healing in orthopaedic care is affected by the causes of the wound, as well as concomitant therapies used to repair musculoskeletal structures. Promoting the health of the host and creating an environment to foster natural healing processes is essential for helping to restore skin integrity. Normal wound healing physiologic processes, factors affecting wound healing, wound classification systems, unique characteristics of orthopaedic wounds, wound contamination and drainage characteristics, and potential complications are important to understand in anticipation of patient needs. Accurate wound assessment and knowledge of nursing implications with specific wound care measures (cleansing, debridement, and dressings) is important for quality care. New technologies are enhancing traditional wound care measures with goals of effective comfortable wound care to promote restoration of skin integrity.     

Wound care

Knowledge of wound physiology and factors that affect wound healing is extremely valuable to the critical care practitioner. Critical care patients are all inherently at risk for wound healing complications and infection. Early recognition of high-risk patients and optimization of the patient's wound healing resources can, in many cases, prevent such complications.