Acute Wound: a recently occurring wound often created traumatically or surgically.

Apligraf: A living human skin substitute, used to increase the rate of healing in diabetic foot and venous stasis ulcers.

Arterial Ulcer: a wound caused by lack of blood flow and oxygen to the skin and tissue (ischemia). Often associated with underlying arterial disease; typically very painful.

Autolytic Debridement: Mechanism by which the body disintegrates or liquefies non-viable tissue and cells.

Bed Sore: The traditional name for a pressure ulcer.

Cellulitis: Inflammation of tissue around a wound, characterized by redness, swelling and tenderness. Signifies a spreading and infectious process.

Chemical Debridement: The removal of dead or devitalized tissue with the use of chemical substances known as enzymatic debriding agents.

Chronic Wound: A wound that does not heal in a timely and orderly fashion. Often symptomatic of underlying conditions such as diabetes, poor circulation, infection, immune deficiencies or repetitive pressure.

Collagen: Main supportive protein of skin, tendon, bone, cartilage and connective tissue.

Cytotoxic: Detrimental or destructive to living cells.

Debridement: Removal of dead or devitalized tissue from a wound by any method, including surgical, chemical, or mechanical.

Decubitus Ulcer: Term for a bedsore or pressure sore.

Dermagraft: Living human skin substitute used to increase rate of healing in diabetic foot ulcers.

Dermis: The second layer of skin that contains hair follicles, sweat gland, blood vessels, sebaceous glands and lymphatics.

Edema: Swelling. The presence of abnormally large amount of fluid within the interstitial space.

Enzyme: A protein secreted by cells that acts as a catalyst to induce chemical changes by cells.

Epidermis: The first and outermost layer of the skin.

Epithelialization: Regeneration of the epidermis across the surface of a wound.

Erythema: Redness of the skin surface produced by vasodilation (increase in blood flow to the area).

Eschar: Thick, black, leathery dead tissue. Often seen on heel ulcers.

Granulation Tissue: The formation or growth of small blood vessels and connective tissue in a wound. Often described as “beefy red”, usually a sign of healing process and the pre-cursor to new skin formation (epithelialization).

Ischemia: A deficiency of blood due to constriction or obstruction of a blood vessel.

Mechanical Debridement: The removal of dead or devitalized tissue from an ulcer by use of wet to dry dressings, whirlpool, lavage or scrubbing (with gauze, for example).

Moist Wound Healing: The principle where wounds are kept in a moist environment to promote autolytic debridement and expedite formation of granulation tissue.

Necrotic: Term often used to describe dead or non-viable tissue.

Osteomyelitis: Inflammation of the bone marrow and adjacent bone.

Pressure Ulcer: A wound caused by ischemia due to pressure. Often, pressure occurs near a bony prominence that may remain in contact with a surface for extended time. (Hips or heels are two common sites for pressure ulcer formation)

Slough: Moist, loose or stringy necrotic tissue.

Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC): Negative pressure (suction) device that increases both granulation tissue formation and local blood supply while it decreasing local edema and bacterial colonization.