Does Washing Help Chronic Wounds?

During my professional youth, our patients would have their lower extremity wounds washed during clinical visits.  This was done in lukewarm water with a drop of potassium permanganate.  Once washed, the patient's leg would be dried, massaged and bandaged before being sent home with a smiling face.

When we look at the evidence though, we cannot say definitively whether or not washing helps, but we do know that it makes the patients feel more at ease. Clearly if they are more relaxed, it must be doing something positive. Clearly if a leg massage makes someone more relaxed, it must be reducing tissue swelling. Right?

Today, we are bombarded with news about chronic wound infection, biofilms, and so on, but the question still remains, should we wash our wounds or not?

Measurements in Wound Healing - Science and Practice

Recently my new book "Measurements in Wound Healing - Science and Practice" was published by Springer. The aim was to present measurements in wound healing that are being used in current practice (and should therefore be part of standard care). The work also addresses the issue where measurements exist, but are not being translated into clinical practice. Finally, it highlights innovations that are currently being developed which may be ready in the coming years.


I happened by a good review of the work: “Chronic wound management - once a Cinderella topic - needs the all the measurements possible to improve standard care.” This is the mission of IJLEW.

I must be off as there is a management meeting this morning. At least it is Spring out there!

The Importance of IJLEW

IJLEW was conceived in the era of "Evidence based Medicine" and the Cochrane Wounds Group. It was meant to be the main vehicle for tapping into the knowledge base of wound healing. This journal will keep the entire community up-to-date on all of the new research within the field of wound healing. It is my hope that this will generate feedback on new innovations and even on practice.

There is now evidence that recurrence of chronic wounds is commonplace among patients. Do they typically comply with the maintenance therapy 'advice'?

INDO-UK Diabetes: January 18th - 19th, 2013

Last week, I went to the INDO-UK Diabetes Summit (www.ibhi/event/diabetes_summit/) organized by the Indo-British Health Initiative and the British Deputy High Commission Chennai. India and the UK have vastly different approaches to confronting the issue of widespread diabetes in their respective populations; examining the difference, learning the significance, could make the difference!

Comparing Healthiness of White and Brown Rice

Last week I visited Chennai (formerly Madras). While there, I came across compelling evidence that brown rice is 'healthier' than white rice. Given that diabetes is becoming a larger international issue, it is important that rice eaters be aware of this. The question is: What is the best way to provide this information to remote populations?  or "best way to influence change in eating habits?"

Wounds International

Wounds International conference is being held in February 2011 in Cape Town, South Africa. This conference is focused on promoting wound care on an international level, focusing on improving, informing, and educating. For more information visit http://www.woundsinternational.com/

September 2010 Issue--Diabetes & Foot Care

Check out the latest issue of the International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds this month's topic is Diabetes and Foot Care paying close attention to emerging trends and epidemiology in India. Statistics surrounding both diabetes and amputations is staggering, as Vijay Shukla and Raj Mani state in their article, "Emerging Trends in Diabetic Foot Ulcer Management in India," there are nearly 50 million diabetics in India alone and "worldwide, more than a million amputations are performed each year as a consequence to diabetes, which means that a lower limb is lost to diabetes somewhere in the world every 30 seconds." Read more of this article and the rest of the issue at http://ijl.sagepub.com/.

Shukla V., Mani R. Emerging Trends in Diabetic Foot Ulcer Management in India. Int J Lower Extrem Wounds. 2010; 9(3):111-112.