DEBRIDEMENT IN DIABETIC FOOT ULCER

Abstract

Wound debridement is defined as the removal of foreign material and dead contaminated tissue from (or adjacent to) a traumatic or infected lesion to expose healthy tissue and removal of foreign material that has become embedded in the wound. The main reason for debriding a wound is to avoid substratum for bacterial growth, ongoing inflammation, and leukocyte infiltration with delayed progression to the proliferative and remodelling phases of wound healing, compromised restoration of the structure and function of the skin, odor management issues, and other negative effects. The objective of operative debridement is to remove all hyperkeratotic tissue (ie, callus), necrotic tissue, functionally abnormal senescent cells, and infected tissue, all of which inhibit wound healing. The International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot recommended the application of sharp/surgical debridement in preference to other techniques such as topical debridement agents (i.e., autolytic dressing or biological debridement) because it is the least expensive, fastest method of wound bed preparation and is available in all geographic areas.