What is a wound?
‘A wound by true definition is a breakdown in the protective function of the skin; the loss of continuity of epithelium, with or without loss of underlying connective tissue (i.e. muscle, bone, nerves) following injury to the skin or underlying tissues/ organs caused by surgery, a blow, a cut, chemicals, heat/ cold, friction/ shear force, pressure or as a result of disease, such as leg ulcers or carcinomas.’1
Short educational videos
You can get a quick deep-dive into the basics of wound management. They contain practical guidance and tips for your clinical practice.
Wound Preparation
Wound preparation is a crucial step in wound management1. Proper wound preparation will lead to faster healing and improved patient care1.
Wound assessment
Access wound assessment tools and the importance of a structured approach to your wound management plan.
Wound healing
Wound healing is the physiological process the body uses to replace and restore damaged tissue.
Infection and biofilm
A wound is considered infected when microorganisms that damage local tissue and delay wound healing are present.
Dressing solutions
Products that assist healthcare professionals and patients with a complete wound healing cycle: from start to finish.
Wound types
Gain a more in depth knowledge around wound aetiolgies, what causes them and respective treatment options.
Pressure ulcers
A pressure ulcer is localised damage to the skin and the underlying soft tissue.
Leg ulcers
A venous leg ulcer (VLU) is an open skin wound, or lesion, and that shows little progress towards healing within 4-6 weeks of when it occurred.
Wound infection
A wound is considered infected when microorganisms that damage local tissue and delay wound healing are present.
Diabetic foot ulcers
A diabetic foot ulcer, also known as diabetic foot disease, is a localised injury to the skin and/or underlying tissue, typically found below the ankle, in a person with diabetes.
Acute wounds
An acute wound is a sudden injury to the skin. Acute wounds can happen anywhere on the body. They range in depth from superficial scratches to deep, penetrating wounds.
Skin tears
Skin tears are often an un-diagnosed problem and prevalence as high as 41.5% have been reported in elderly care residents.
Understand different dressing types
Patient cases
Learn more about wound and skin care management with our library of diverse patient cases. In our library you will find a broad collection of patient cases from all over the world. Patient cases is a great way to share best practice and develop your expertise in managing and treating wound and skin care conditions.
Glossary
Getting to grips with wound care terminology can sometimes take a little time, that's why we've pulled together some of the most common terms in an alphabetical list for your reference.
Pressure Ulcer Pathway
Using the Coloplast 3 Step Approach, we've broken down the process for Assessing, Preparing and then treating a Pressure Ulcer into a simplified pathway.
Venous Leg Ulcer Pathway
Using the Coloplast 3 Step Approach, we've broken down the treatment process for Assessing, Preparing and then treating a venous leg ulcer into a simplified pathway.
Wound Infection Pathway
Using the Coloplast 3 Step Approach, we've broken down the pathway for Assessing, Preparing and then treating wound infection into a simplified pathway.
Foot Ulcer Pathway
Using the Coloplast 3 Step Approach, we've broken down the pathway for Assessing, Preparing and then treating foot ulcers into a simplified pathway.
Wound Preparation Pathway
Using the Coloplast 3 Step Approach, we've simplified the barriers to healing with our wound preparation pathway
Skin Tear Pathway
Using the Coloplast 3 Step Approach, we've simplified the barriers to healing with our skin tear pathway.
Antimicrobial Stewardship
The term ‘Antimicrobial Stewardship’ is defined as ‘an organisational or healthcare-system-wide approach to promoting and monitoring judicious use of antimicrobials to preserve their future effectiveness’.
Educational Modules
Module 1 - Introduction to Wound Care
Module 2 - Skin Integrity
Module 3 - Moist Wound Healing
Module 4 - Wound Assessment
Module 5 - Wound Preparation
Bitesize videos
Pressure ulcers - educational module
Wound Assessment - education module
Venous Leg Ulcers - education module
Wound Infection - educational module
How to apply and remove Biatain® Silicone
Biatain® Silicone Square
Biatain Silicone Multishape
Biatain® Silicone Heel
Biatain Silicone Sacral Small
Biatain Silicone Sacral Large
References
- Wounds UK. (2013). Effective debridement in a changing NHS: a UK consensus: London. 2. Wilcox, J. R., Carter, M. J. and Covington, S. (2013). Frequency of Debridements and Time to Heal: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 312 744 Wounds. JAMA Dermatology, 149(9): 1050-1058.
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