Wound Care Words

Front 1

Blanching

Back 1

An area of pallor immediately after releasing pressure to the skin.

Front 2

Brawny Edema

Back 2

Pathological hardening and thickening of the tissues, especially due to inflammation.

Front 3

Cellulitis

Back 3

Inflammation of cellular or connective tissue. Inflammation of cells around a wound that demonstrates signs of infection (pain, redness, swelling, increased drainage)

Front 4

Dead Space

Back 4

A cavity in a wound following tissue destruction.

Front 5

Debridement

Back 5

Removal of devitalized tissue and foreign matter from a wound.

Front 6

Autolytic Debridement

Back 6

Use of synthetic dressings to cover a wound and allow eschar to self-digest by the action of enzymes present in wound fluids.

Front 7

Enzymatic (Chemical) Debridement

Back 7

The topical application of proteolytic substances (enzymes) to break down devitalized tissue.

Front 8

Mechanical Debridement

Back 8

Removal of foreign matter and devitalized/contaminated tissue from a wound by physical forces rather than by chemical/natural forces. (Wet to dry dressings, wound irrigation, whirlpool, pulsatile lavage, and dextranomers)

Front 9

Sharp Debridement

Back 9

Removal of material or devitalized tissue by a sharp instrument such as a scalpel. (laser debridement)

Front 10

Dehiscence

Back 10

Separation of the layers of a surgical wound.

Front 11

Denuded Skin

Back 11

Skin that is stripped of epidermis and dermis due to adhesives or other chemicals such as enzymes in stool. (severe diaper rash)

Front 12

Ecchymosis

Back 12

Trauma to the skin and subcutaneous tissues, causing the rupture of blood vessels and subcutaneous bleeding/hemorrhage. (bruising)

Front 13

Epiboly

Back 13

A rolled epidermal ridge, in which the epithelial cells have prematurely migrated down and over the wound edge.

Front 14

Epithelialization

Back 14

The stage of tissue healing in which the epithelial cells migrate (move) across the surface of the wound. During this stage the epithelium appears pink. When it occurs in the middle of a wound its called epithelial island.

Front 15

Eschar

Back 15

Thick, leathery, necrotic, devitalized tissue. (scab)

Front 16

Exudate

Back 16

Any fluid that has been extruded from a tissue or its capillaries, more specifically because of injury or inflammation. (High in protein and WBC)

Front 17

Sanguinous

Back 17

Bloody, red, thin, watery. Indicates new vessel growth or disruption of vessels.

Front 18

Serous

Back 18

Clear to light yellow in color; thin, watery-normal during inflammation and proliferation.

Front 19

Serosanguinous

Back 19

Light red to pink, thin watery contains serum and blood-normal during inflammation and proliferation.

Front 20

Purulent

Back 20

Yellow, tan or green. Thick opaque foul smelling and/or viscous; signals wound infection. (oily)

Front 21

Fibrin

Back 21

A whitish/yellowish filamentous protein substance. Typically present with venous ulcerations.

Front 22

Gangrene

Back 22

A necrosis or death of tissue, usually due to deficient or absent blood supply.

Front 23

Dry Gangrene

Back 23

Condition that results when the part that dies has little blood and remains aseptic. The arteries but not the veins are obstructed. The tissues dry and drop off, the process continuing for weeks or months.

Front 24

Moist/Wet Gangrene

Back 24

Gangrene that is wet as a result of tissue necrosis and bacterial infection.

Front 25

Hypergranulation

Back 25

An excess of granulation tissue often associated with delayed epithelialization.

Front 26

Mascerate

Back 26

To soften by wetting or soaking. Wound edges are soft and moist. (Wet/White)

Front 27

Necrotic Tissue

Back 27

Tissue that has died, therefore lost its usual physical properties and biological activity. (devitalized tissue)

Front 28

Osteomyelitis

Back 28

Inflammation of the bone marrow and adjacent bone often due to infection.

Front 29

Pressure Ulcers

Back 29

Any lesion caused by unrelieved pressure resulting in damage of underlying tissue.

Front 30

Stage 1

Back 30

Nonblanchable erythema of intact skin, the heralding lesion of skin ulceration. (Dark skin=discoloration of the skin, warmth, edema, induration, or hardness.)

Front 31

Stage 2

Back 31

Partial thickness skin loss involving epidermis, dermis, or both. The ulcer is superficial and presents clinically as an abrasion, blister, or shallow crater.

Front 32

Stage 3

Back 32

Full thickness skin loss involving damage to or necrosis of subcutaneous tissue that may extend down to but not through the underlying fascia. The ulcer presents clinically as a deep crater with or without undermining of adjacent tissue.

Front 33

Stage 4

Back 33

Full thickness skin loss with extensive destruction, tissue necrosis, or damage to muscle, bone, or supporting structures. (tendons, joint capsule) (Undermining and sinus tracts)

Front 34

Slough

Back 34

Necrotic tissue in the process of separating from viable portions of the body. Loose stringy necrotic tissue. (Yellow/tan mucinous or fibrinous, can be loosely/firmly attached to wound base.)

Front 35

Tunneling

Back 35

A pathway/tunnel which can extend in any direction from the wound surface. Results in dead space with potential for anaerobic bacteria and abscess formation. (sinus tracts)

Front 36

Undermining

Back 36

Tissue destruction that occurs to the underlying intact skin adjacent to the wound margins. Formation of a "self" of healthy, intact tissue over an area of dead space and/or necrotic tissue.