Evidence-Based Medicine and the Management of the Chronic Wound: Is It Enough?

Abstract

Evidence-based medicine has become ubiquitous in modern-day medicine, including wound care. However, the application of evidence-based medicine into the arena of chronic wounds has not been uniformly performed and measured. Most wound care studies are plagued by inconsistencies in inclusion criteria, data measurements, and endpoint reporting. Furthermore, the small sample sizes prohibit drawing effective conclusions. However, that does not imply that the current guidelines of treatment are substandard. Instead, one must rely more heavily on current evidence and experts in the field until larger, more consistent studies can establish good practice patterns.