Debridement: ethical, legal and practical considerations

Abstract

Deciding which product or technique to use in order to effect debridement involves more than a simple dressing choice. Patient preference, degree of risk, environmental factors, resources and possible contra indications/cautions must be taken into account before proceeding. The option of conservative sharp debridement is a valuable tool and is potentially of great benefit to many patients. Despite this it may be underused in primary care due to the perception that it is a high risk procedure.