ABSTRACT
Wound healing is a fundamental and dynamic response to injury. The process of wound healing involves coordinated interactions between a variety of blood-and parenchymally derived cells, soluble factors, and extracellular matrix. Wounds can be caused by any number of physical insults that disrupt the integrity of a tissue. These include surgical incisions, trauma, thermal injury, and radiation injury. Regardless of the cause, most wounds can be expected to heal in a ‘‘timely’’ fashion. A basic understanding of wound healing is fundamental to surgery. This chapter outlines the basic concepts of the biology of wound healing and provides an introduction to the issues facing and options available for wound care management.
