This is the first installment of 2 articles that discuss the biology and pathophysiology of wound healing, review the role that growth factors play in this process, and describe current ways of growth factor delivery into the wound bed. Part 1 discusses the latest advances in clinicians' understanding of the control points that regulate wound healing. Importantly, biological similarities and di...

Background: To assess the effectiveness of vacuum assisted closure (VAC) therapy for healing of infected wounds. Methods: In this prospective case-control study, total of 25 patients with chronic non-healing wounds were recruited. Before the application of VAC, surgical debridement was performed to remove all the devitalized necrotic tissues as per requirement and the wound was packed with povo...

At any one time about 200,000 patients in the UK have a chronic wound, with the most common types of chronic wounds being leg ulcers, pressure ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers (Posnett and Franks, 2007). The cost to the NHS of caring for patients with chronic wounds is estimated to be about £4bn (Sheffield Hallam University, 2014). This cost is predicted to increase over the course of the next 2...

Significance: Natural, endogenous electric fields (EFs) and currents arise spontaneously after wounding of many tissues, especially epithelia, and are necessary for normal healing. This wound electrical activity is a long-lasting and regulated response. Enhancing or inhibiting this electrical activity increases or decreases wound healing, respectively. Cells that are responsible for wound closu...

Wound repair is a natural reaction to injury, which results in restoration of tissue integrity. In this study the healing effect of green tea extract formulation was investigated on open skin wound of rabbit. Active ingredients were extracted from green tea using water and glycerin (4:1) vehicle. Three cream formulations containing 2, 5 and 10% of green tea extract were prepared in the base. A ...

Wound healing is a dynamic and complex process that involves a well-coordinated, highly regulated series of events including inflammation, tissue formation, revascularization and tissue remodeling. However, this orderly sequence is impaired in certain pathophysiological conditions such as diabetes mellitus, venous insufficiency, chronic glucocorticoid use, aging and malnutrition. Together with ...

Objective: To discuss the physiological bases for using exogenously applied electric field (EF) energy to enhance wound healing with conductive electrical stimulation (ES) devices. Approach: To describe the types of electrical currents that have been reported to enhance chronic wound-healing rate and closure. Results: Commercial ES devices that generate direct current (DC), and mono and biphasi...

OBJECTIVE Autologous platelet rich plasma is an advanced wound therapy used in hard-to-heal acute and chronic wounds. To better understand the use and clinical outcomes of the therapy, a systematic review of the published literature in cutaneous wounds was performed. METHODS Electronic and hand searches for randomized controlled trials and comparative group studies using platelet rich plasma ...

BACKGROUND Wound management is more than the application of a dressing. It requires a comprehensive and informed approach to the assessment of the patient, their wound and their healing environment OBJECTIVE This article outlines a systematic approach to guide assessment and management of chronic wounds. DISCUSSION An international advisory panel has developed a framework for assessment and...

Chronic, non-healing wounds contribute significantly to the suffering of patients with co-morbidities in the clinical population with mild to severely compromised immune systems. Normal wound healing proceeds through a well-described process. However, in chronic wounds this process seems to become dysregulated at the transition between resolution of inflammation and re-epithelialization. Biobur...