Recent advances in topical wound care

Abstract

There are a wide variety of dressing techniques and materials available for management of both acute wounds and chronic non-healing wounds. The primary objective in both the cases is to achieve a healed closed wound. However, in a chronic wound the dressing may be required for preparing the wound bed for further operative procedures such as skin grafting. An ideal dressing material should not only accelerate wound healing but also reduce loss of protein, electrolytes and fluid from the wound, and help to minimize pain and infection. The present dictum is to promote the concept of moist wound healing. This is in sharp contrast to the earlier practice of exposure method of wound management wherein the wound was allowed to dry. It can be quite a challenge for any physician to choose an appropriate dressing material when faced with a wound. Since wound care is undergoing a constant change and new products are being introduced into the market frequently, one needs to keep abreast of their effect on wound healing. This article emphasizes on the importance of assessment of the wound bed, the amount of drainage, depth of damage, presence of infection and location of wound. These characteristics will help any clinician decide on which product to use and where,in order to get optimal wound healing. However, there are no ‘magical dressings’. Dressings are one important aspect that promotes wound healing apart from treating the underlying cause and other supportive measures like nutrition and systemic antibiotics need to be given equal attention.

Aging Skin: Nourishing from Out-In. Lessons from Wound Healing

“…But dressings are also important because they are capable of promoting healing. Indeed, the aim of all care products is to create an aseptic environment preventing infection and moisturizing the wound tissue, enhancing epithelization and granulation tissue formation [35]. So, the ideal dressing material has to maintain a moist environment, act as a bacterial barrier, and act as a medium for free exchange of gases while providing a barrier against toxic contaminants.…”

Wound Care: Traditional African Medicine Approach

“…The target of an eicient T"M intervention to wounds is expected to have the following features: prevent and control of wound infections, accelerate healing, minimize pain, discomfort, odour, scaring, and protect surrounding tissues. This is achieved through the use of various traditional products that provide appropriate and efective physiological environment conducive for tissue repair and regeneration [50].…”

Controlling wound odor with metronidazole: a systematic review

“…To control these factors, antiseptics and topical antibiotics are accepted as the best option for local infection treatment (in some cases the use of systemic antibiotics is necessary). Infection in wounds slows the healing process and may have systemic complications if not quickly controlled (1) .…”