Skip to main content
-
abrasion
-
an area damaged by scraping
-
acute radiation syndrome (ARS)
-
an acute illness related to full-body exposure to high levels of radiation
-
acute wound
-
a wound that occurs suddenly and progresses through expected stages of healing
-
angiogenesis
-
a process where capillaries grow across the wound, increasing blood supply and oxygen
-
arthrofibrosis
-
scar tissue formed around a joint during the healing process, which limits range of motion
-
autolytic debridement
-
the process of using occlusive dressings to enhance the body’s own defense mechanisms to liquefy or soften necrotic tissue
-
avulsion
-
a forcible tearing off of skin or another part of the body
-
Bates-Jensen Wound Assessment Tool (BWAT)
-
an assessment tool to evaluate wound status and healing; it measures thirteen wound characteristics
-
blanching
-
the temporary whitening or lightening of the skin around the wound site upon applying pressure
-
Braden Scale
-
an assessment tool that evaluates the relative risk of a patient developing skin breakdown and pressure injuries. The scores can be used to tailor pressure injury prevention interventions to at-risk patients
-
burn
-
an injury to the skin caused by thermal, electrical, chemical, or electromagnetic energy
-
burn shock
-
a condition in which the circulatory system becomes dysfunctional and unable to compensate for the loss of blood, plasma, and fluid, even with aggressive fluid replacement
-
chemical burn
-
a burn caused by the reaction of human skin to toxic chemicals
-
chronic wound
-
a wound in which no healing occurs for at least three months
-
closed wound
-
a wound that does not have a break in the skin and occurs under the skin’s surface
-
cognition
-
the mental processes that take place in the brain such as thinking, language, learning, memory, perception, and attention
-
collagen
-
a whitish protein substance that adds flexible strength to the wound
-
contusion
-
a region of injured tissue or skin in which blood capillaries have been ruptured
-
debridement
-
the removal of slough or necrotic tissue and foreign material by various methods
-
decontamination
-
the removal of residual chemical or radiological particles
-
desiccation
-
unintentional wound or tissue dehydration
-
diabetic neuropathy
-
nerve damage that causes numbing sensations
-
electrical burn
-
a burn that occurs when an electrical source meets skin and transfers energy, damaging local tissue
-
enzymatic debridement
-
the application of commercially prepared enzymes that accelerate the body’s autolytic process (i.e., cell breakdown by enzymes contained in the affected tissue)
-
epibole
-
rolled or curled-under wound edges that slow or stop the wound-healing process
-
epidermis
-
the outermost layer of the skin consisting of epithelial cells
-
epithelialization
-
the development of new epidermis; the growth of skin cells over skin and wound surface; healing to close a wound
-
erythema
-
a change in skin color due to a change in blood flow
-
eschar
-
dead tissue that forms over healthy skin and then, over time, falls off or sheds
-
excoriation
-
the loss of the superficial layers of the skin, also known as a denuded area
-
exudate
-
a liquid that is secreted from a wound
-
fistula
-
an abnormal passage from one internal organ or vessel to another or an internal organ or vessel to the outside of the body
-
fluctuance
-
a tense area of skin with a wave-like or boggy feeling upon palpation
-
fluid resuscitation
-
the administration of IV fluids to ensure adequate intravascular fluid
-
foul purulent
-
a thick yellow to green exudate with odor
-
fourth-degree burn
-
a burn that involves everything from the epidermis down into bone or muscle
-
friction
-
a force created by two surfaces rubbing against each other
-
frostbite
-
a type of burn in which the water in tissues freeze and cause deep tissue injuries and necrosis
-
full-thickness (third-degree) burn
-
a burn involving all of the epidermis, dermis, and some of the subcutaneous fat and deeper structures
-
granulation tissue
-
delicate, new, reddish connective tissue and tiny blood vessels that bleed easily but provide the framework for scar tissue development
-
hematoma
-
a localized collection of blood under the skin that may appear reddish blue with swelling
-
hemostasis
-
the cessation of bleeding
-
hypoproteinemia
-
abnormally low amounts of serum protein from the diet
-
hypovolemic shock
-
a type of shock due to decreased fluid volume in blood vessels that impacts the blood flow and transport of oxygen to organs and tissues
-
incision
-
a surgical cut made in skin or flesh
-
induration
-
a thickened or hardened area
-
inhalation injury
-
an injury caused by breathing in particulates, such as heat and smoke from fires, or chemical burning of upper airways
-
intentional wound
-
a planned wound; the result of a treatment or therapy
-
laceration
-
a deep cut or tear in the skin or flesh
-
liquefaction necrosis
-
death of body tissues
-
localized wound healing factor
-
a factor that affects wound healing directly (i.e., desiccation, maceration, trauma, pressure, excessive bleeding and edema, and infection)
-
maceration
-
the softening of tissues caused by prolonged wetting or soaking
-
mechanical debridement
-
the application of external physical force to remove debris or necrotic tissue
-
Montgomery strap
-
a tie that attaches to an adhesive backing that holds a dressing in place
-
NPO
-
nothing by mouth
-
open wound
-
a break in the skin or mucous membranes, caused either intentionally or unintentionally
-
osteomyelitis
-
a bone infection
-
palmar method
-
a strategy for determining TBSA of small burns
-
Parkland burn formula
-
a commonly used formula for determining the amount of fluid resuscitation needed for patients who have been burned
-
partial-thickness (second-degree) burn
-
a burn involving the epidermis and some portion of the dermis
-
penetration
-
a wound caused by objects that pierce the skin and lacerate or damage adjacent tissue
-
phagocytosis
-
the movement of leukocytes and macrophages into the interstitial space to ingest bacteria and cellular debris
-
pressure injury
-
a localized ischemic lesion of the skin and underlying tissue caused by external pressure that impairs blood and lymph flow
-
primary intention healing
-
a type of healing in which the wound edges have been approximated with little to no tissue loss and show formation of nominal granulation tissue and scarring
-
puncture
-
a wound made by a pointed object
-
purulent
-
pus; tan to yellow exudate
-
Rule of Nines
-
a strategy for determining TBSA of large burns
-
sanguineous
-
relating to bloody exudate
-
secondary intention healing
-
a type of healing in which extensive wounds that have significant tissue loss make approximating edges difficult or not a good option
-
serosanguineous
-
relating to a mix of serous fluid and blood in exudate
-
serous
-
relating to thin, watery, clear exudate
-
shear
-
the sliding of one tissue layer over the other
-
skin grafting
-
transplanting a piece of healthy skin from one area of the body to another
-
slough
-
a nonviable layer of dead tissue that is a stringy, moist, and yellow, tan, gray, green, or brown
-
stable eschar
-
an area of eschar on the skin that is adherent, dry, and intact without fluctuance
-
superficial (first-degree) burn
-
a burn involving only the epidermis
-
superinfection
-
a secondary infection that is unrelated to the original infection and results from opportunistic colonization after immunosuppression
-
Surgical Site Event Risk Assessment (SSERA) model
-
an assessment tool to determine the relative risk of a patient developing a surgical site infection after a surgical procedure
-
systemic wound healing factor
-
factors that occur throughout the body and are not related to the wound itself (e.g., age, venous insufficiency, poor oxygenation, obesity, diabetes, medications, and smoking or alcohol use)
-
tertiary intention healing
-
delayed primary intention healing where the wound is left open for three to five days to allow edema or infection to resolve or to allow any exudate to drain
-
thermal burn
-
a burn related to temperature
-
tissue necrosis
-
tissue death
-
total body surface area (TBSA)
-
percentage of the body’s surface
-
trauma
-
injury caused by a blunt or blow force
-
tunneling
-
erosion in channels beneath intact skin surrounding a wound
-
ulcer
-
an open sore caused by poor blood flow
-
undermining
-
erosion beneath the skin’s surface beyond visible edges
-
unintentional wound
-
a wound from an unexpected trauma
-
Wagner Ulcer Classification System
-
an assessment tool to describe severity of diabetic foot ulcers
-
wound
-
an injury that causes a disruption of normal skin or tissue integrity
-
wound thickness
-
the amount of skin breakdown, fat exposure, and bone and/or muscle involvement in a wound