Page 4  ©   2 0 0 0   In   t h e   Kn o w ,   In c .  Acute Wounds.  A wound is acute when it has happened recently and is still within the normal time frame for healing.   Chronic Wounds.  A wound is chronic when it has failed to heal as it should or when it keeps reopening.  Chronic wounds can last weeks, months or even years. Simple Wounds.  A simple wound is a minor injury.   It is small and shallow, and the edges of the cut are close together.  With simple wounds, the bleeding is easily stopped and not much treatment is needed. Complex Wounds.  A complex wound is a major injury.  The edges of the wound gape open and may be rough or torn.  Because the wound is deep, fat, muscle, tendon or bone may show.  The wound may be filled with lots of dirt and debris.   There may be heavy bleeding lasting longer than 15 minutes.  Complex wounds need immediate medical attention! Surgical Wounds.  Most operations require surgeons to cut through the skin.  Depending on their size and location, these wounds are closed with tape, stitches or staples.  Some surgeons even use a special glue!  Surgical wounds often swell up and look bruised for a few days, and they may drain small amounts of clear fluid. Accidental trauma.  Wounds resulting from accidents can be superficial—affecting just the skin.   They might also be deeper injuries—affecting blood vessels, bones, muscles and organs.  The type of treatment depends on the severity of the wound. Tumors.  With certain advanced cancers, wounds develop.  These wounds may be large and they may drain a lot of fluid.  Many of these wounds have an unpleasant smell. Vascular Wounds.  There are two types of vascular wounds.  Arterial ulcers develop when the arteries are blocked and circulation to a certain part of the body is reduced.  They usually occur on the arms and legs—especially the top of the foot.  Venous ulcers develop when veins (especially leg veins) become too weak to push blood back to the heart.  These ulcers are the most common leg wound and are often found on the ankles.    Pressure Ulcers.  These wounds are also called “bed sores”.  They are very common in elderly and immobile people.  Pressure ulcers develop when cells are “sandwiched” between a bone inside the body and a hard surface such as a bed or chair.  The cells closest to the bone die first—and then the wound starts to spread to the skin surface.  So, the wound might be deep even before it breaks the surface of the skin. Burns.  These wounds can be caused by many things including hot liquids, electricity, car accidents, house fires and even the sun.  Superficial burns usually heal on their own within two weeks.   Deeper burns require close medical attention and/ or skin grafts. Diabetic ulcers.  Diabetes can cause small arteries in the body to narrow.  When this happens, circulation is decreased and wounds can develop.  Diabetic ulcers tend to show up on the feet—and even between the toes. Skin Tears.  A skin tear is just like it sounds...a rip in the skin.  Elderly people are the ones most likely to get skin tears because skin gets thinner with age.   By the time people are seventy, their skin is often as thin as paper and can be torn very easily.  For example, skin can be torn during bed-to-chair transfers or getting in and out of the tub.    Types of  Wounds