Debriding wounds

This page provides clinical guidance on debriding wounds for health professionals.

The following information about debriding wounds is taken from 3D Regional HealthPathways, accessed April 2020:

Background

Debridement is the process of creating a clean wound bed through the removal of non-viable tissue:

Infected or contaminated tissue
Cell debris
Necrotic or devitalised material, which may be dry e.g., eschar or wet e.g., slough or moist necrosis.

Image	Description
	Eschar Usually presents as black, dry, and with desiccated covering. There may be a local inflamed border.
	Slough Can present as a soft and fibrous yellow layer. Usually high exudate and with a local inflamed border.
	Moist necrosis

Follow the general wound care pathway for specific work-up before debridement.
Ensure adequate blood supply:
• Check pulses.
• Assess local perfusion around wound.
Consider:
• treatment aim i.e., conservative or curative.
• timeline required.
• type of wound and whether:
◊ necrotic or sloughy.
◊ shallow or deep.
◊ wet or dry.
• location of wound:
◊ Feet, face, hands, genitalia – caution is required
◊ Proximity to major structures
• risk of haemorrhage.
• whether pain can be appropriately managed.
• whether the clinical environment is suitable e.g., adequate equipment and skills.
Do not debride if the patient has contraindications.
Select the most appropriate type of debridement.
Perform or request debridement:
• Autolytic debridement
• Conservative sharp debridement
• Surgical debridement

Page last updated: 14 Sep 2022