small animal wounds Flashcards
what is the most common stage for wounds to get stuck in during healing
granulation
What are the stages of wound in the wound healing continuum
Necrotic
Sloughing
Granulating
Epithelialising
What is the management aim during the necrotic and sloughing stages of wound healing
debride devitalised tissue
What is the aim during the late sloughing, granulating and epithelialising stages of wound healing
maintain a moist, clean environment
What is secondary intention healing
Letting the wound heal itself via contraction and epithelialisation
What are the risks associated with secondary intention healing
Wound needs to be dressed and protected which can cause irritation and impact normal life
Risk of infection
What is tertiary closure of a wound
Closing a wound surgically over a healthy granulation bed
Why is tertiary closure more common in small animal practice
Small animal skin has much more laxity than large animal
What are methods of bringing new epithelium to a wound site?
Pinch/punch grafting
Free skin graft
What factors should you consider when deciding which product is used for dressing a wound?
Frequency of change
Ease or difficulty of dressing change procedure
Availability of products
Cost of products
Requirement for hospitalisation
Requirement for topical antimicrobial agent
Describe the function of foam dressings
Absorbent, sponge-like polymer dressing
Provides thermal insulation and help create a moist wound environment
Allows for controlled evaporation of the moisture in the wound
Contains hydrophilic polyurethane foam
Label the layers of foam dressings
What wounds should foam dressings be applied to?
all types of exuding wounds but not for dry wounds
What occurs if a foam dressing is left on a wound for too long
It becomes macerated and can become infected as the dressing is saturated
Describe the useof hydrogels in wound healing`
Used to provide moisture to a wound
Often used in conjunction with a foam dressing
