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
About debriding wounds
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 |
![]() |
Slough |
![]() |
Moist necrosis |
Management
- 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
Learn more
Wound debridement Southern DHB, NZ
What dressing for what wound Healthcare Rehabilitation Limited
Debridement made easy Wounds UK
References
- Debriding wounds 3D Regional HealthPathways, NZ, 2020