How are chronic wounds healed?
3 minutes read
- A chronic wound takes periods as long as six weeks to heal. In this case, it is important for the patient to receive an effective diagnosis and treatment for a definitive cure.
Santo Domingo. – Clinically, a wound is an injury that damages the skin and its tissues. It follows a short-term sequential process of anatomical and functional repair, but when it does not heal completely within six weeks, it becomes a chronic wound.
Various causes, such as insufficient blood or oxygen supply, infection, tissue inflammation, anaemia or a weak immune system, can contribute to the formation of a chronic wound.
In this regard, Dr. Joan Martínez, a wound care and healing specialist, said the most common chronic wounds are pressure ulcers, diabetic foot, and arterial and venous ulcers.
An important point Dr. Martínez highlighted is that, to obtain an accurate diagnosis, the doctor must assess the patient holistically, as a whole, including their family environment and current health condition, “because most ulcers located on the lower limbs are caused by chronic venous insufficiency”.
Martínez, who is also Director of Operations at Curatech, added that “around 70% of leg ulcers are caused by venous disease, and almost 20% are due to arterial insufficiency or mixed arteriovenous disease. Approximately 85% of foot ulcers are caused by peripheral neuropathy, often complicated by arterial disease. Both cause a great deal of pain, burning and stinging, among other symptoms”.
Risk factors
Dr. Joan Martínez explained that each injury has different factors, which increase when a patient with a pressure injury and little or no mobility is not repositioned every two hours; likewise, when a patient has vascular or venous injuries and does not elevate the limb or wear compression stockings, the healing challenges will be greater.
“Everything depends on the patient’s case, as well as their risk factors, environment, past and present history, etc. So the advice is for the specialist to make a good diagnosis, because risk factors often prevent injuries from healing quickly”, said the Director of Operations at CuraTech, a provider of specialised healthcare services at home or wherever is convenient for the patient.
Effective treatment
Dr. Martínez, Director of Operations at CuraTech, a company specialising in home healthcare, said patients should be assessed and treated with proven techniques, protocols and treatments applied by professionals specialised in healing all kinds of wounds.
She said that, after carrying out the initial assessment and understanding the patient’s condition, a treatment and education plan is designed for the patient and their caregiver; “that’s how we implement effective, efficient treatment that allows us to reduce mortality and morbidity rates”.
On the follow-up process, she said “when patients know the cause of their injury and what kind of treatment can help them, the road to full healing is much faster. This is a commitment not only for CuraTech and its team, but also for the patient and their caregiver”.
“The patient’s commitment to the treatment, and to their health condition, is their biggest challenge. That’s why it’s so important not only to heal the wound, but to educate the patient and their family”, said the doctor, adding that CuraTech has locally and internationally endorsed protocols for assessing and treating patients.
The many services CuraTech offers include wound care and management, arterial ulcers, venous ulcers, sacral ulcers, parenteral and enteral nutrition, sample collection, debridement, diabetic foot treatment, burns, pain management, intravenous therapy, guidance visits for patients and caregivers, and nail removal, among others.