WHAT IS AN ACUTE WOUND?

An acute wound is an injury to the skin that occurs suddenly rather than over time. It heals at a predictable and expected rate according to the normal wound healing process. Acute wounds can happen anywhere on the body, varying from superficial scratches to deep wounds damaging blood vessels, nerves, muscles, or other body parts.

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WHAT IS A CHRONIC OR HARD-TO-HEAL WOUND?

A chronic wound develops when any acute wound fails to heal in the expected time frame for that type of wound, which might be a couple of weeks or up to six weeks, depending on severity.

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WHAT CAUSES A CHRONIC OR HARD-TO-HEAL WOUND?

There are many causes for chronic wounds.  The most common causes include diabetes, poor circulation, too much pressure from sitting or lying down, and surgical wounds.

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WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF WOUNDS?

• Arterial ulcers – can occur from hypertension, atherosclerosis (plugging), and thrombosis (clotting), where the reduced blood supply leads to an ischemic state.

• Venous ulcers – account for more than half of ulcer cases, especially in the lower limbs (mainly the legs), associated with deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins, and venous hypertension. Venous stasis leads to venous ulcers, where the blood fails to circulate normally.

• Diabetic ulcers – are a common complication in uncontrolled diabetes, resulting in impaired immune function, hyperglycemia, ischemia (due to poor blood circulation), PAD/PVD (peripheral arterial disease), and neuropathy (nerve damage), which eventually lead to breakage of skin and ulceration.

• Pressure ulcers – can develop due to a lack of blood supply to the skin caused by chronic pressure or friction on an area of the skin (e.g., a bedridden person sits for long periods in a wheelchair or a cast pressing on the skin).

• Infectious wounds – can be bacterial, fungal, or viral. If the cause of the infection is not treated with the proper medication, the wound will not heal properly in the expected time.

• Delayed radiation injury wounds – are caused by excessive exposure to radiation materials that weaken the immune system and cause damage to exposed tissue, delaying the healing time of all wounds. Examples include therapeutic (gamma rays or x-rays) or accidental (exposure to radioactive materials from nuclear plant accidents or radioactive devices that detonate).

• Surgical wounds – occur when the blood supply to the surgery area is accidentally damaged or if wound care is inadequate.

• Various diseases may cause inflammatory wounds or result from non-disease phenomena. Most of these wounds correlate with autoimmune or connective tissue disease.

• Cancerous wounds harbor cancerous cells that do not allow the wound to heal.

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HOW ARE CHRONIC OR HARD-TO-HEAL WOUNDS TREATED?

At SAFE Hands, we have a highly qualified and well-respected team of podiatrists, plastic surgeons, general surgeons, internal medicine providers, vascular surgeons, and geriatricians who will assess your wound and determine the best course of action. This may include:

• Treatment for the wound,

• Education and follow-up, and many more!

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WHO IS AT RISK OF DEVELOPING AN ACUTE OR CHRONIC WOUND?

People with diabetes have a higher risk of getting chronic, non-healing foot wounds.  People may also be at risk if they:

• Have limited mobility or are confined to their bed,

• Have poor circulation,

• Blockage in major arteries or

• Nerve damage in hands or feet