Eliminating non-healing wounds: a review

Abstract

Non-healing cutaneous wounds, including pressure, diabetic and venous ulcers, are wounds where the skin and underlying tissues die due to ischemia, infection, metabolic conditions, immunosuppression or radiation. Some can be eliminated with relatively straightforward techniques, although they may continue to grow in diameter and depth, becoming increasingly painful and never heal. Others respond more slowly or poorly to treatment, while others are recalcitrant to treatments. This review examines the etiology of non-healing wounds and different wound management treatments. In addition, it examines the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma in promoting wound healing and its potential mechanisms of action. It is concluded that platelet-rich plasma alone, but more effectively when combined with another technique(s), has the greatest potential for promoting complete wound healing. However, further studies are required to determine whether the efficacy of wound healing induced by each of these techniques is enhanced by applying the techniques simultaneously.