SPONSORED BY

Q U I C K FAC T S / M AY 2021

DEBRIDEMENT AND
CHRONIC WOUNDS
1 When wound healing is impaired, there are often multiple
factors at play, rather than one contributing cause.

2 Devitalized tissue 4 6
Necrotic tissue Necrotic eschars
is also an ideal can result from
is detrimental to medium for increased
bacterial prolifera-
tissue necrosis and
death. They appear to
healing because it 3 Necrotic tissue
is dead and can
tion, further creating
non-healing conditions.
5 Necrotic tissue can
be black and dry and are
adherent to the wound.
impairs the development no longer heal in any
capacity. It is a physical
be any of the fol-
lowing: black or brown
of granulation tissue and barrier to healing and
must be removed to
(yellow if liquefactive
necrosis), hard, dry,
re-epithelialization. facilitate wound healing. leathery, soft, or wet.

7 8 9
Slough tissue is a Slough is composed of Slough is commonly
consequence of the dead white blood cells, yellow and can be stringy
wound stalling in the fibrin, cellular debris, and or thick, and it adheres to
inflammatory phase of healing. liquefied devitalized tissue. the wound bed.

10 12
Complex, chronic, hard-
Hyperkeratosis is a condition to-heal wounds impact
millions of people
that thickens the epidermis as globally and cost billions of
a result of excessive production dollars annually for care.
of keratin.

11
Keratotic

13
tissue can form Chronic and
epibole when complex wounds
it becomes rolled or curled experience a stall-
under around the wound ing of the natural
edges. healing process in
the inflammatory or
proliferative phase of healing.

Debridement and Chronic Wounds • Copyright © 2021 WoundSource & Kestrel Health Information, Inc. • www.woundsource.com/practice-accelerator 1
 FOR MORE INFORMATION on Debridement and Chronic Wounds, visit
www.​woundsource.​com/woundsource-practice-accelerator-debridement-chronic-wounds-2021/

14 15
Debridement There are multiple types of
is often used to debridement: sharp or surgical, biological,
remove necrotic, enzymatic, mechanical, and autolytic.
damaged,
infected, or otherwise

16
devitalized tissue to expose The type of debridement employed is often
selected based on the wound characteristics,
healthy underlying tissue and patient comorbidities, pain limitations, health needs,
aid in healing. time considerations, caregiver skills, and the treatment setting.

18 Enzymatic
debridement was
originally developed and
20 Although it is
sometimes used
as the primary method of
marketed for use on debridement, enzymatic

17 Enzymatic
debridement is
burns, but indications
for treatment have since
evolved.
19 Enzymatic
debridement
removes the
debridement is also
frequently used in
conjunction with other
a topical treatment that devitalized tissue therapies, especially
uses naturally occurring
proteolytic enzymes or
proteinases, which aid in
by digesting and
dissolving the non-
viable tissue in the
sharp debridement.
21 Plant-based
enzymes were first
used in the 1940s to help
the tissue repair process. wound bed. remove eschar tissue.

22 Approximately 1.6 million people in the United States required limb

amputation in 2005, and this number is expected to double by 2050.

23 62%
Diabetes is the 24 There was a 62% increase in minor diabetes-
related amputations and a 29% increase in major

leading cause of diabetes-related amputations between 2009 and 2015.

non-traumatic
lower limb 18-44 25 Amputation rates are increasing most in
young individuals aged 18-44, middle-aged
individuals aged 45-64, and men of any age.

amputations
80% 26
Up to 80% of diabetes-related amputations

in the United States. could be prevented through diligent podiatry care

strategies that lower the risk of amputation, hospitalization,
and re-ulceration.

27 Limb salvage plans aim to lower the risk of amputation through proper assessment
and management of ulcers.

28 29 30 31
Prompt attention The best Sharp or surgical Enzymatic
to and treatment of way to debridement debridement
minor foot injuries prevent is the standard may be the
can decrease ulcer occur- diabetes complications is by recommended care strategy for preferred method for
rence by 50% and eliminate properly managing blood diabetic foot ulcers patients receiving palliative
the need for major amputation glucose levels. that require removal care because it is less painful
of non-ischemic limbs. of devitalized tissue. than sharp debridement.

Debridement and Chronic Wounds • Copyright © 2021 WoundSource & Kestrel Health Information, Inc. • www.woundsource.com/practice-accelerator 2