Chronic wounds

Any wound that has not healed after four to twelve weeks is described as chronic. An open wound is not only associated with a reduction in quality of life, but also with a significantly increased risk of infection. However, chronic wounds are not a disease in themselves, but a manifestation of various underlying conditions such as

• peripheral arterial occlusive disease
• chronic venous insufficiency (CVI)
• dermatological diseases
• inflammatory diseases or
• diabetes mellitus (diabetic foot syndrome)

The majority of chronic wounds in Germany are caused by vascular disease. For this reason, vascular assessment is essential in chronic non-healing wounds. Depending on the findings, this includes an examination of both the arteries and the veins. For this reason, dermatological (Department of Dermatology) and plastic surgery expertise (Department of Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery) is consulted in our wound centre.