Lower Extremity Review
“The climate emergency is a multidisciplinary, multisectoral crisis that transcends professional and organizational barriers. Health professionals can help bring sharp focus to the urgent reforms required from individuals, organizations, and governments”.
By Angela Margaret Evans, AM*
Bone repair and regeneration (osteogenesis) relies on a series of intricate events supported by the processes of osteoinduction and osteoconduction. Osteoinduction is the mechanism by which osteogenesis is induced. At this stage, immature cells develop into preosteoblasts.
By Windy Cole, DPM, CWSP
The relationship between calf-pump insufficiency and ulceration has long been established.1 The accompanying venous hypertension is associated with histologic and hemodynamic alterations in capillary and lymphatic microcirculation that result in pathophysiologic changes in the tissues.
By Windy Cole, DPM, CWSP
Is there a link between diabetes and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI)? Well, let’s just say that relationship is “complicated.” While diabetes may not directly cause venous insufficiency, it does have an effect on the tissues of the lower extremities. It has been documented that glycosylated hemoglobin is damaging to…
By Windy Cole, DPM, CWSP
Exudate management is a common clinical concern when treating chronic wounds. Excessive wound leakage can be harmful to peri-wound skin1 and can require more frequent dressing changes. These dressing changes can damage tissue, be painful to the patient, and utilize nursing time, thereby increasing nursing costs. A dressing that is absorbent and requires minimal dressing changes could improve wound healing, while reducing patient discomfort and…
By Windy Cole, DPM, CWSP
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. It acts as a support structure, giving the skin strength and elasticity. Collagen also plays an essential role in wound healing. During the proliferative phase, fibroblasts migrate into wounded tissues and lay down new…
By Windy Cole, DPM, CWSP
A crucial component of wound management is regular debridement. The goal of debridement is the removal of all necrotic, fibrous, and devitalized tissue from the wound bed. Devitalized tissue in wounds produces a physical barrier to formation of new tissue and therefore decreases healing rates. If devitalized tissue remains in the wound bed, bacterial colonization is more likely.
By Windy Cole, DPM, CWSP
Wound healing as a clinical specialty has evolved over the past 2 decades. The importance of wound care research in this emerging area of medicine cannot be overstated. Wound care research must continue to be conducted to facilitate the development of effective treatment protocols for…
By Windy Cole, DPM, CWSP
A picture is worth a thousand words – how many times have you heard that old adage? There is no bigger truth in wound care documentation. Wound photos serve as a visual reference and act as a testimonial on wound progression in the medical record. Wound photos supplement the EMR and encourage accurate documentation of the wound healing trajectory.
By Windy Cole, DPM, CWSP
Despite advances in wound dressings and best practices, hard-to-heal wounds still remain. Increases in the number of chronic wounds have led to greater antibiotic usage, more hospitalizations, and increased amputations.1 It is therefore necessary to understand the continuum of wound contamination and effectively address…
By Windy Cole, DPM, CWSP, FAPWH
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