Wound Care Terminology
Slough
(v.) to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through as if through mud; (n.) a mire; a state of depression
medical asepsis
practices used to remove or destroy pathogens and to prevent their spread from one person or place to another person or place; clean technique
Purulent
producing or containing pus
Periwound
skin around the wound
nonwoven dressing
soft, non-woven backing with adhesive border that is gentle on skin, conformable, breathable and provides ease of movement
telfa dressing
sterile nonadherent dressing, often applied on fresh wounds or incisions
stage 2 ulcer
broken skin; partial thickness; blister epidermis and dermis; can ooze
Serous
clear, watery plasma, transparent fluid
Neocrosis
death of tissue
contact precautions
direct or indirect contact with a patient and/or his or her environment including person's room or objects in contact with the person, that has an infection with an organism transmitted fecal-orally -Mask, eye glasses, gown,gloves
Ecchymosis
discoloration of the skin through bruising
stage 3 ulcer
epidermis, dermis, and subQ tissue; oozing, signs of infection; full thickness loss
sanginous
Bright Red, Fresh blood, bloody drainage
Bloodborne pathogens
Disease-causing microorganisms carried in the body by blood or body fluids, such as hepatitis and HIV. -wearing gloves, a face mask, protective eyewear or goggles
stage 4 ulcer
Full-thickness tissue loss with exposed bone, muscle, or tendon
secondary intention wound healing
Large, open wounds, which require more tissue replacement and are often contaminated. Also, if a wound is healing by primary intention and becomes infected. They take longer to heal and produce more scar tissue.
Undermining wound
The destruction of tissue or ulceration extending under the skin edges so that the wound is larger at the base than at the skin surface. Open wound.
Droplet precautions
Must be followed for a patient known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by large-particle droplets expelled during coughing, sneezing, talking, or laughing. -wear protective surgical masks, gloves
scant
Not enough or barely enough
Evisceration
The displacement of organs outside of the body.
Tegaderm dressing
Transparent adhesive film
hematoma
a circumscribed collection of blood, usually clotted, in a tissue or organ, caused by a break in a blood vessel.
purpura
a disease characterized by purple or brownish-red spots on the skin or mucous membranes, caused by the extravasation of blood.
Petechiae
a minute, round, nonraised hemorrhage in the skin or in a mucous or serous membrane.
tunneling wound
a narrow opening or passageway underneath the skin that can extend in any direction through soft tissue and results in dead space with potential for abscess formation
Eschar
a thick layer of dead tissue and tissue fluid that develops over a deep burn area
Tunneling
a wound that's progressed to form passageways underneath the surface of the skin -These tunnels can be short or long, shallow or deep, and can take twists and turns. Tunneling can occur in stage 3 and stage 4 pressure ulcers
Asepsis
absence of pathogenic microorganisms
Copious
abundant; plentiful
Neutropenic precautions
are comparable to contact precautions in reverse. For example, you may need to wear gloves or other appropriate PPE to prevent bringing contaminates into the patient's room. In addition, fresh fruits or vegetables should not be included with patient meals
Moderate
average
Excudate
fluid, such as pus, that leaks out of an infected wound
dehisecence
general separation or splitting/bursting open of the tissue layers
Standard PPE
gloves, face shield, gown, mask, booties -create barriers that protect skin, clothing, mucous membranes, and the respiratory tract from infectious agents.
stage 1 ulcer
intact skin; red/irritation; unblanchable
surgical asepsis
techniques used to destroy all pathogenic organisms, also called sterile technique
debridement
the removal of dirt, foreign objects, damaged tissue, and cellular debris from a wound to prevent infection and to promote healing
Serosanginous
thin, watery, pale red to pink
granulation tissue
tissue formed in ulcers and in early wound healing and repair, composed largely of newly growing capillaries and so called from its irregular surface in open wounds; proud flesh.
Airborne precautions
used for patients known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by airborne droplet nuclei -N95 mask, gown -other pathogens that can be transmitted through airflow that are 5 micrometers or smaller in size and remains in the environment for long periods of time
Primary intention wound healing
wounds that heal under conditions of minimal tissue loss