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Wound Management

Sloughy

Authors:Hasan Gökcer Tekin, MD, Christian Kaare Paaskesen, Med. Stud, Magnus Avnstorp, MD, Bjørn Thomas Crewe, MD and Consultant wound specialist

Definition: Mixture of dead white cells, fibrous and rehydrated non-vital tissue

Description: Slough is often yellow/white in color and can be spongy or creamy in texture. Varying amount of slough may be present in granulating wounds (0-100% slough of a granulating wound bed).

Treatment aim:  Desloughing. Provide a clean base for granulation tissue 

Wound dressing (dry wounds): Hydrogel, hydrocolloids, hypotonic-moistened gauzes

Wound dressing (wet wounds): Alginates, composite dressings, hydrofiber, hypotonic-moistened gauze

Wound exampels:

Bilateral sloughy leg ulcers

Frontal view of bilateral leg ulcers, Wound bed covered with granulation tissue and a significant amount of slough/fibrous tissue (<40-50%).
Desloughing with composite foam dressings (PolyMem)

Sloughy leg ulcer with skin transplant

Frontal view of leg ulcer. Wound bed with a mixture of granulation tissue and slough (>50%) and the wound 1 week after surgical debridement and split-thickness skin grafting.

Sloughy heel wound

Posterior view of heel wound. view of wound bed before and after sharp debridement. Wound bed was prior to debridement fully covered in slough.

Sloughy wound on foot dorsum

Frontal view of foot dorsum. View of wound bed before and after sharp debridement. Wound bed was prior to debridement partially covered in slough.

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