Things You Need to Know About Wound Care
Wound care is not the most common procedure in interventional radiology but it does come with special attention and care. Our office understands how important it is for proper wound healing in patients that are slow to heal or are unable to heal due to certain diseases. If wounds are not managed properly, complications like meningitis, maggot infestation, cellulitis, squamous cell carcinoma, septic shock and more can form.
Causes & Risk Factors
Wound management is available for the following wounds resulting from:
- Diabetes
- Burns
- Venous ulcers
- Peripheral arterial disease
- Post-surgery, post-trauma
- Radiation
- Infection
- Bedsores
- Lymphedema
Diagnosis
Diagnosing impaired wound healing comes by physical examination. If we detect the following representations, we move forward with treatment:
- Inflammation and/ or infection around the site of the wound
- Necrotic tissue surrounding the wound
- Wound edges that are not healing due to faulty blood supply
- Wound maceration due to moisture
Prevention
To prevent wound infection and improper wound healing, consider the following steps:
- Clean wounds regularly
- Keep wounds dressed as directed
- Use antibacterial soap when handling the area around the wound
- Use gloves when caring for the wound
- Keep contaminated objects away from wound (hair, urine, airborne bacteria, etc.)
Treatment
If your wound becomes infected or needs special attention, wound specialists can offer the following treatment options:
- Growth factors
- Dermal substitutes
- Surgical wound closure
- HBOT/Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment
- Wound VAC/Vacuum-Assisted Closure
