Wound Care Facility

Our wound care facility is staffed with doctors and specially trained nurses who are in office 5 days a week.

In our Wound Care Facility, we provide:

• Advanced wound care
• Wound debridement
• Skin graft placement

Wound Causes and Types

Wounds occur when the skin is broken or damaged because of injury. Causes of injury may be the result of mechanical, chemical, electrical, thermal, or nuclear sources. The skin can be damaged in a variety of ways depending upon the mechanism of injury.

• Inflammation is the skin’s initial response to injury.
• Superficial (on the surface) wounds and abrasions leave the deeper skin layers in tact. These types of wounds are usually caused by friction rubbing against an abrasive surface.
• Deep abrasions (cuts or lacerations) go through all the layers of the skin and into underlying tissue like muscle or bone.
• Puncture wounds are usually caused by a sharp pointed object entering the skin. Examples of puncture wounds include a needle stick, stepping on a nail, or a stab wound with a knife.
• Human and animal bites can be classified as puncture wounds, abrasions, or a combination of both.
• Pressure sores (bed sores) can develop due to lack of blood supply to the skin caused by chronic pressure on an area of the skin (for example, a person who is bedridden, sits for long hours in a wheelchair, or a cast pressing on the skin). Individuals with diabetes, circulation problems (peripheral vascular disease), or malnutrition are at an increased risk of pressure sores.

Proper wound care is necessary to prevent infection, assure there are no other associated injuries, and to promote healing of the skin. An additional goal, if possible, is to have a good cosmetic result after the wound has completely healed.

• The most common symptoms of a wound are pain, swelling, andbleeding. The amount of pain, swelling, and bleeding of a wound depends upon the location of the injury and the mechanism of injury.
• Some large lacerations may not hurt very much if they are located in an area that has few nerve endings, while abrasions of fingertips (which have a greater number of nerves) can be very painful.
• Some lacerations may bleed more if the area involved has a greater number of blood vessels, for example, the scalp and face.

• If the wound is due to significant force or trauma and other injures are be present.
• If bleeding cannot be stopped even with persistent pressure and elevation.
• If there is concern that wound requires repair with sutures (stitches). The size and location of the wound are important considerations. Most facial wounds may need to be repaired for cosmetic reasons, especially if they involve the lip or eye.
• If the wound is caused by an animal bite. There is also a need to consider rabies immunizations, if appropriate.
• If the wound is very dirty and cannot be easily cleaned.
• If there is evidence of infection including redness, swelling, increased pain, and pus at the wound.

Information obtained from emedicinehealth.com