Optimal Wound Care
Delicate Individual Care
SERVICES
For millions of South Africans, the aging process, diabetes, trauma, complications of surgery and other conditions may lead to chronic, non-healing wounds. These include venous ulcers, pressure sores, ischaemic ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers and poorly healing wounds in compromised patients (diabetes, steroid dependency). In some cases, these wounds can take weeks, months or even years to heal fully, at considerable expense, dramatically affecting quality of life. These wounds may tax the skill of the practitioner and drain society of valuable man-hours while accruing unnecessary expense.
Recognising the need for expert wound management as well as maintaining contact with the latest academic developments in the field, Specialized Wound Care Services (SWCS) has been established to provide this very specialized service.
DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS
Diabetic foot ulcer is a major complication of diabetes mellitus, and probably the major component of the diabetic foot.
Wound healing is an innate mechanism of action that works reliably most of the time. A key feature of wound healing is stepwise repair of lost extracellular matrix (ECM) that forms the largest component of the dermal skin layer. But in some cases, certain disorders or physiological insult disturbs the wound healing process. Diabetes mellitus is one such metabolic disorder that impedes the normal steps of the wound healing process. Many studies show a prolonged inflammatory phase in diabetic wounds, which causes a delay in the formation of mature granulation tissue and a parallel reduction in wound tensile strength.
Treatment of diabetic foot ulcers should include: blood sugar control, removing dead tissue from the wound, dressings, and removing pressure from the wound through techniques such as total contact casting. Surgery in some cases may improve outcomes. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may also help but is expensive.
It occurs in 15% of people with diabetes and precedes 84% of all diabetes-related lower-leg amputations.
PRESSURE SORES
Bedsores — also called pressure sores or pressure ulcers — are injuries to skin and underlying tissue resulting from prolonged pressure on the skin. Bedsores most often develop on skin that covers bony areas of the body, such as the heels, ankles, hips and tailbone.
People most at risk of bedsores are those with a medical condition that limits their ability to change positions, requires them to use a wheelchair or confines them to a bed for a long time.
Bedsores can develop quickly and are often difficult to treat. Several things can help prevent some bedsores and help with healing.
*http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bedsores/basics/definition/con-20030848
VENUS ULCERS
Venous ulcers (venous insufficiency ulceration, stasis ulcers, stasis dermatitis, varicose ulcers, or ulcus cruris) are wounds that are thought to occur due to improper functioning of venous valves, usually of the legs (hence leg ulcers).[1]:846 They are the major occurrence of chronic wounds, occurring in 70% to 90% of leg ulcer cases.[2] Venous ulcers develop mostly along the medial distal leg, and can be very painful.
ISCHAEMIC ULCERS
An ischemic ulcer or arterial ulcer can result from any interruption of arterial blood supply to an area of the skin. They typically occur in the distal portion of the extremities, especially the feet. These ulcers are typically painful. Wet or dry gangrene may be associated with these types of ulcers. It is rare for an ischemic ulcer to heal if nothing can be done to improve the arterial blood supply to the area affected.