Wound Healing is a valuable, scientifically rigorous, and thorough text that belongs in the library of every wound care practitioner. Dr. Anna Falabella and Dr. Robert Kirsner are internationally recognized physicians in the field of dermatology and wound healing. Their dual specialties of dermatology and wound care combined with their extensive university research and clinical experience offer a perspective of wound pathophysiology, wound evaluation, and therapy that is evidence-based and uniquely helpful.
This comprehensive text incorporates more than 80 well-known authors in the wound care field. Compared to various wound care texts, a significant number of the Wound Healing authors are dermatologists. Pediatrics, vascular, physical therapy, podiatry, surgery, nursing, hyperbarics, anesthesia, orthopedics, and basic research scientists are other specialties that are represented. The dermatology background of many contributors offers a diverse perspective in understanding skin and associated structures—a distinguishable quality from other wound care texts.
The text is divided into 3 main sections. The basic science of wound healing with a focus on the pathophysiology of wound healing is addressed throughout the beginning chapters. The second section features clinical issues including diagnostic methods, prevention strategies, and risk identification in many types of wounds. Nutrition, general wound assessment, pain management, and dressing selection are addressed in separate chapters. The latter chapters focus on the recognition and treatment of many wound types presented with adequate detail so that the practitioner will find answers to questions that arise in a clinical wound care practice, while providing sufficient in-depth information to give guidance in difficult clinical situations. An additional area that outlines research techniques and future directions in wound care concludes this well-rounded publication.
The text covers common wound etiologies such as, diabetic, arterial, venous, and pressure ulcers. Less commonly addressed problems such as, radiation injury, burns, vasculitis (many types), vasculopathy, malignancy, immunosuppression, wound healing challenges, genetic diseases associated with wounds, and pediatric wounds are also addressed.
The organization of this encyclopedic text allows the reader to easily identify the pertinent area of interest when researching a problem. There are no color pictures, which are often a helpful component in a wound care text, but the completeness and detail of the text compensates for this absence.
This book is commonly referenced in my wound care library and will serve both the beginner and the advanced wound care clinician. Dermatology and wound care are inextricably connected but not commonly combined. The value of this combined knowledge as presented in Wound Healing will be apparent to the reader.
