Detrimental factors

• Surgical technique.
• Infection.
• Presence of necrotic tissue.
• Presence of foreign material.
• Surrounding tissue trauma.
• Poor vascular supply.
• Excessive skin tension.
• Movement of wound edges.
• Tissue dehydration.
• Tissue maceration.
• Suture material Suture materials.
• Drains Drain: active (tube) Drain: Passive (Penrose).
• Hematomas.
• Seromas Seroma.
• Concentrated disinfectant agents, eg 10% povidone-iodine Povidone-iodine.
• Caustic topical agents.
• Co-morbidity:
  • Malnutrition.
  • Immune suppression.
  • Hypoproteinemia Hypoproteinemia.
  • Anemia Anemia: overview.
  • Malignancy.
  • Vitamin and mineral imbalances, eg vitamins A, E and C; zinc, etc.
• Drugs:
  • Glucocorticoids Therapeutics: glucocorticoids.
  • Cytotoxic drugs Therapeutics: anti-neoplastic agent.
• Radiation.
• Patient interference, ie self-trauma.

Equivocal factors

Beneficial factors

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Cockbill S M & Turner T D (1995) Management of veterinary wounds. Vet Rec 136 (14), 362-365 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• Manual of Canine and Feline Wound Management and Reconstruction (1999) Eds D Fowler and J M Williams. Cheltenham: British Small Animal Veterinary Association.
• Small Animal Wound Management (1997) 2nd edn. Eds S F Swaim and R A Henderson. Baltimore, Williams and Wilkinson.