The burden of dehisced surgical wounds in the community

The burden of dehisced surgical wounds in the community

Non-healing wounds and their associated costs present a significant challenge to wound care services. Surgical wound dehiscence (SWD) is often overlooked, leading to a lack of true understanding regarding the additional burden this represents.

Learning Objectives

• Appreciate the burden of SWD in the community which is increasing as a result of complex surgical procedures, early discharge post-surgery, a lack of follow-up surveillance and an ageing population.
• Understand the misconception that wound care dressings are the one single factor that drives wound care costs. Nursing hours taken to care for these wounds and the associated resource this incurs should be considered on an equal footing.
• Apply sNPWT alongside a clinical pathway can result in either complete healing or reduction in wound surface area in SWD that were previously classed as ‘non-healing’.
• Discuss that the early intervention of the sNPWT pathway (wounds <6 months old) may give a higher healing rate and reduce the impact of SWD.