Complex Wound Care

What is complex wound care?

Complex wound care involves the intensive medical treatments needed to promote and accelerate healing. You develop a complex wound when the injured tissues don’t heal in the expected time, usually four weeks. A few examples of common complex wounds include:

• Diabetic foot ulcers
• Lower leg and foot ulcers 
• Pressure wounds
• Surgical incisions that don’t close

Non-healing wounds pose a significant health threat because they don’t get better independently. Without treatment, the damage expands and causes infections.

Am I at risk of needing complex wound care?

Your chances of developing a complex wound increase if you have any of the following risk factors:

Poor blood supply

Wounds can’t heal without healthy circulation because blood carries the oxygen, nutrients, and stem cells needed for healing. Severely restricted blood flow can lead to tissue death.

Infection

Infections break down tissues, preventing wounds from healing.

Underlying health conditions

Complex wounds develop when a health condition blocks healing. You may end up with non-healing wounds if you have:

• Diabetes
• Blocked arteries
• Chronic venous insufficiency
• Suppressed immune system
• Prior injury in the same area

Placing pressure on the wound (such as walking or wearing shoes) and temperature changes also increase your risk for a complex wound.

Wound-related complications

Problems like a buildup of fluid (edema) or blood (hematoma) interfere with healing. You may also develop complications like skin conditions, bone infections, and gangrene.

What happens during complex wound care?

Complex wound care takes a dual approach that treats the underlying condition and the wound. Your Southwest Surgical Associates provider may refer you to a specialist for some health problems.

Complex wound care always begins with cleaning the wound and includes treatments such as:

• Debridement (removing infected and dead tissues)
• Infection control
• Nutritional counseling
• Off-loading (taking pressure off the injury)
• Negative pressure wound therapy
• Tissue-based therapies
• Advanced drug-delivery systems
• Skin substitutes
• Advanced dressings

Advanced dressings and skin substitutes create the environment needed to heal your specific wound. As part of your complex wound care, your provider teaches you how to change dressings and care for your wound at home.

Don’t wait to seek complex wound care. Call Southwest Surgical Associates or book an appointment online today.

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