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Chronic wounds need to be diagnosed right

DUBAI - Belhoul Speciality Hospital organised Continuous Medical Education (CME) programme last week on the management of chronic wounds which was attended by more than 120 medical practitioners including plastic surgeons, dermatologists and other specialists. Dr James Roy Kanjoor, specialist in plastic and reconstructive surgery, at the hospital delivered the lecture.

Dr Kanjoor has more than 15 years of experience in plastic and reconstructive surgery and has written many articles for international journals and organised several conferences. He is Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh and Assistant Professor in Plastic Surgery at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. The programme was sponsored by Medpharma.

Dr Kanjoor explained that chronic wounds, that are both painful for patients and frustrating for health care providers, are complex problems that require a coordinated approach to treatment.

A chronic ulcer, caused by a wound, is a challenging problem to a surgeon. To explain chronic wounds further, they are wounds that do not show signs of improvement within four weeks or those do not heal completely within eight weeks.

They are usually the result of an underlying condition, such as poor blood circulation, diabetes, or pressure ulcers. These conditions make it more difficult for the wound to heal. Proper evaluation of the patient and assessment of the ulcer are the essential steps in managing such conditions. Vacuum Assisted wound closure has helped in speedy healing of open wounds. In recalcitrant ulcers, invasive procedures will help restore the vascularity, complex reconstructive procedures may be required.

Dr Kanjoor discussed the subject comprehensively and focused on vascular disease, infections, diabetes or other metabolic disorders, immuno-suppression, unrelieved pressure, radiation injury and malnutrition among other conditions. He also covered anti-microbial agents, innovative dressings and common chronic skin and soft tissue wounds, which include diabetic foot ulcers, the pressure ulcers, chronic fungal infections and skin malignancies.