Wound Care Medical Glossary
Clear explanations of the words you may hear during wound care, written for patients and caregivers. Each entry is general education, not medical advice, and a listed treatment is not necessarily one we provide.
A
- Amputation Prevention — see Limb Preservation
- Limb preservation refers to medical, surgical, and therapeutic strategies aimed at saving legs and feet at risk of amputation due to severe wounds, infection, or compromised circulation.
- Arterial Ulcer
- A chronic wound on the lower leg or foot caused by poor blood flow through narrowed or blocked arteries.
B
- Bacterial Colonization
- Bacterial colonization is the presence and multiplication of bacteria in a wound without triggering an immune response or damaging tissue.
- Biofilm
- A structured community of microorganisms encased in a protective slimy matrix that adheres to a wound surface and delays healing.
C
- Cellular and Tissue-Based Products
- Cellular and tissue-based products (CTPs) are advanced biologic materials used to stimulate tissue regeneration and close complex, non-healing wounds.
- Chronic Wound
- A chronic wound is a wound that has failed to progress through the normal, orderly stages of healing within an expected timeframe.
- Compression Therapy
- Compression therapy uses controlled pressure on the limbs to improve venous blood flow, reduce swelling, and promote healing.
D
- Debridement
- Debridement is the medical removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue to promote healthy wound healing.
- Diabetic Foot Ulcer
- A diabetic foot ulcer is an open sore or wound that occurs on the foot of an individual with diabetes, most often on the bottom of the foot.
E
- Edema
- Edema is swelling caused by excess fluid trapped within the body's tissues, frequently affecting the lower extremities and interfering with wound healing.
- Extracorporeal Magnetotransduction Therapy
- Extracorporeal Magnetotransduction Therapy (EMTT) is a non-invasive treatment that uses high-energy pulsed magnetic fields to stimulate cellular activity and support tissue healing.
G
- Granulation Tissue
- Granulation tissue is the new, vascularized tissue that forms in a wound bed during healing, characterized by a healthy, beefy red, pebbled appearance.
H
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a specialized treatment where a patient breathes pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber to promote tissue repair.
I
- In-Home Wound Care — see Mobile Wound Care
- Mobile wound care delivers specialized clinical evaluation, advanced treatments, and dressing management directly to patients in their homes or residential care settings.
L
- Limb Preservation
- Limb preservation refers to medical, surgical, and therapeutic strategies aimed at saving legs and feet at risk of amputation due to severe wounds, infection, or compromised circulation.
- Lymphedema
- Lymphedema is a chronic condition characterized by localized tissue swelling caused by an accumulation of protein-rich fluid when the lymphatic system is damaged or impaired.
M
- Mobile Wound Care
- Mobile wound care delivers specialized clinical evaluation, advanced treatments, and dressing management directly to patients in their homes or residential care settings.
N
- Negative Pressure Wound Therapy
- Negative pressure wound therapy uses controlled suction across a sealed dressing to draw out excess fluid and promote healing.
- Non-Healing Wound — see Chronic Wound
- A chronic wound is a wound that has failed to progress through the normal, orderly stages of healing within an expected timeframe.
- Nonselective Debridement
- Nonselective debridement is a wound clearing method that removes dead and healthy tissue together without differentiating between viable and non-viable cells.
O
- Offloading
- Offloading is the practice of removing mechanical pressure, friction, or shear forces from a vulnerable area of the body to allow wounds to heal and prevent tissue breakdown.
- Osteomyelitis
- Osteomyelitis is an infection of the bone or bone marrow, often occurring beneath deep, non-healing open wounds.
P
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a circulatory condition where narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs, critically impairing wound healing.
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Peripheral neuropathy is damage to the peripheral nerves that causes numbness, tingling, or weakness in the limbs, significantly raising the risk of unnoticed skin injuries.
- Pressure Injury
- A pressure injury, also known as a pressure ulcer or bed sore, is localized damage to the skin and deeper tissue caused by sustained pressure or pressure combined with friction and shear.
- Pressure Ulcer — see Pressure Injury
- A pressure injury, also known as a pressure ulcer or bed sore, is localized damage to the skin and deeper tissue caused by sustained pressure or pressure combined with friction and shear.
R
- Radiation Tissue Injury
- Radiation tissue injury is localized damage to skin, soft tissues, or bone caused by ionizing radiation, often leading to delayed healing and chronic wounds.
S
- Selective Debridement
- Selective debridement is the targeted removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue from a wound while preserving healthy surrounding tissue.
- Sharp Debridement
- Sharp debridement is a procedure where a trained clinician uses sterile instruments like scalpels or scissors to precisely remove dead tissue, slough, and biofilm from a wound.
- Skin Graft
- A skin graft is a surgical procedure where healthy skin or tissue is transplanted to cover and close a non-healing wound.
- Surgical Debridement
- Surgical debridement is an operating room procedure where a surgeon excises dead or infected tissue from deep or complex wounds under anesthesia.
V
- Venous Insufficiency
- Venous insufficiency occurs when leg vein valves fail to work properly, causing blood to pool in the lower legs and leading to swelling, skin changes, and open sores.
- Venous Stasis Ulcer
- A venous stasis ulcer is a chronic open wound on the lower leg or ankle caused by damaged leg veins and poor blood circulation.
W
- Wound Dehiscence
- Wound dehiscence is the separation or reopening of the edges of a surgical incision before healing is complete.
- Wound Healing
- Wound healing is the body's natural, multi-stage biological process of repairing damaged tissue and restoring skin barrier function after injury.
- Wound Infection
- A wound infection occurs when microorganisms multiply within an open wound, overwhelming the body's local defenses and damaging tissue.