Open AccessClinician perceptions of wound biofilm
Author(s) -
Metcalf Daniel G.,
Bowler Philip G.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international wound journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.867
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1742-481X
pISSN - 1742-4801
DOI - 10.1111/iwj.12358
Subject(s) - biofilm , wound care , medicine , wound healing , microbiology and biotechnology , perception , wound infection , intensive care medicine , surgery , bacteria , biology , genetics , neuroscience
In wound care today, biofilm is a subject area of great interest and debate. There is an increasing awareness that biofilm exists in the majority of non‐healing wounds, and that it is implicated in both recalcitrance and infection. Together with the presence of devitalised host tissue, biofilm is recognised as a component of the wound environment that requires removal to enable wound progression. However, uncertainty exists among wound care practitioners regarding confirmation of the presence of biofilm, and how best to remove biofilm from a non‐healing wound. While recent efforts have been taken to assist practitioners in signs and symptoms of wound biofilm, continuing research is required to characterise and confirm wound biofilm. This research was conducted as part of a market research process to better understand the knowledge levels, experiences, clinical awareness and impact of biofilm in wound care, which was undertaken across the USA and Europe. While knowledge levels and experiences vary from country to country, certain wound characteristics were consistently associated with the presence of biofilm.