Broken skin or tissue invites infection and demands care. A wound is a disruption of the integrity of skin or other body tissue caused by injury, surgery, or underlying disease.

Wounds are classified as open or closed, clean or contaminated, acute or chronic. Healing proceeds through hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Factors such as blood supply, infection, nutrition, and chronic disease influence the rate and quality of healing. Surgical wounds are intentional and created under sterile conditions.

Management includes cleaning, appropriate dressing, tetanus prophylaxis when indicated, and monitoring for infection. Chronic wounds such as pressure ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers require specialized, prolonged care. Early definitive treatment of acute wounds prevents many late complications.

• Disruption of skin or tissue integrity
• Caused by trauma, surgery, or disease
• Heals through staged biological processes
• Managed by cleaning, protection, and treating impairing factors