ABSTRACT
The estimated prevalence of chronic nonhealing wounds in developed countries ranges from 1% to 2% within the general population. The morbidity and the associated cost of treating chronic wounds can have significant implications on the cost of healthcare. Recent studies have shown that nearly 15% of Medicare beneficiaries had at least one type of wound infection, with surgical infections forming the largest category, followed by diabetic infections. The management of chronic wounds continues to be a significant yet understudied component of perioperative patient care. Wound healing is a dynamic process that can be influenced by both the wound microenvironment and the health and nutritional status of the individual. The wound healing process has been traditionally broken down into three integrated and often overlapping phases: Inflammation, proliferation, and maturation. In acute wounds, these processes occur in an orderly fashion and achieve the desired structural and functional restoration.
