debrided

Debrided is the past participle and adjective form of the verb debride, used in medical contexts to describe tissue that has undergone debridement. Debridement is the process of removing dead, damaged, or contaminated tissue and foreign material from a wound, burn, or ulcer with the aim of creating a clean wound bed, reducing infection risk, and promoting healing or graft success.

The term applies to a range of wound types, including skin ulcers, traumatic wounds, and surgical sites. Debridement can be accomplished by multiple methods. Sharp surgical debridement uses instruments such as scalpels and scissors to remove nonviable tissue. Mechanical debridement involves physical removal through methods like wet-to-dry dressings or wound irrigation. Enzymatic debridement uses topical enzymes to digest devitalized tissue, while autolytic debridement relies on moisture-retentive dressings to facilitate the body’s own enzymes. Biological debridement employs living organisms, such as medicinal maggots, to selectively consume necrotic tissue. Ultrasonic debridement and other advanced techniques may also be used in certain settings.

Indications for debridement include necrotic tissue, devitalized tissue, slough, eschar, infected wounds, or wounds not progressing toward healing. Debrided describes the current state of the wound after such a procedure, indicating that nonviable tissue has been removed and the wound bed has been prepared for further treatment, such as cleansing, dressing, or grafting.

Risks and considerations include pain, bleeding, potential damage to viable tissue, and the need to address underlying factors like perfusion and infection.