Wound cleansing: a key player in the implementation of the TIME paradigm

Abstract

The concept of wound bed preparation can be implemented using the TIME paradigm. Chronic wounds are mostly characterised by prolonged inflammation and increased bioburden. Removal of wound biofilm and devitalised tissue, which is an ideal environment for bacterial growth, can help address the I in TIME. Wound cleansing aims to remove contaminants, debris, dressing remnants and superficial slough from the wound. Some wound cleansers contain surfactants, which reduce the surface tension of a liquid, enabling it to spread further over a surface. This article describes how these solutions can be used to debride the wound surface without damaging healthy cells.

Keywords: biofilm; devitalised tissue; surfactants; wound bed preparation; wound bioburden; wound cleansing.