Chapter 11 Flashcards: Hemostasis, Wound Healing, and Wound Closure

A set of vocabulary flashcards defining surgical wound care, healing mechanisms, tissue types, and suture concepts directly from the transcript.

Adhesion

Abnormal attachment of two surfaces or structures that are normally separate.

Anastomosis

Pathological, surgical, or traumatic formation of an opening between two normally separate organs or spaces.

Approximated

Returned to proximity; brought together sides or edges.

Autologous

From oneself.

Capillarity

Capability of multifilament suture to harbor bacteria and retain tissue fluid that can travel down the length of the suture strand.

Chronic wounds

Wound that persists for an extended period of time.

Cicatrix

Scar

Collagen

Protein that consists of bundles of reticular fibers that form the white, inelastic fibers of fascia, ligaments, and tendons.

Compress

To apply pressure.

Dead space

A space that remains in the tissues as a result of failure of proper closure of a surgical wound.

Debridement

Removal of devitalized tissue and contaminants.

Dehiscence

Partial or total separation of a layer or layers of tissue after closure of the wound.

Edema

The abnormal accumulation of fluid in the interstitial spaces of tissues causing swelling.

Elasticity

The ability of tissue such a skin, lungs, or muscles to return to its normal shape after being pushed inward, stretched outward, or in some way manipulated.

Evisceration

Interruption of a closed wound or traumatic injury that exposes the viscera.

Exudate

Fluids or other substances that are discharged from cells or blood vessels; examples are perspiration and pus.

First intention

Type of healing that occurs with primary union that is typical of an incision opened under ideal conditions; healing occurs from side to side, dead space has been eliminated, and the wound edges are accurately approximated.

French-eyed needle

A type of needle in which the suture must be threaded by pulling the strand through a V-shaped area into the eye.

Friable

Easily torn or crumbled.

Gangrene

Necrosis of tissue usually due to ischemia and subsequent bacterial infection.

Granulation

Second intention wound healing in which the wound is left open to heal and the space is filled in from the bottom upward with granulation tissue.

Granuloma

Small inflamed area in tissue usually the result of an infection and often occur in the lungs.

Hematoma

Localized collection of extravasated blood that is often clotted.

Hemolysis

The destruction of erythrocytes.

Hemostasis

The arrest of the escape of blood through natural or artificial means.

Hemostat

An instrument used to grasp tissue on vessels, or clamp onto a vessel.

Herniation

Abnormal protrusion of an organ or other body structure through an opening in a covering membrane or muscle.

Homologous

From the same species.

Immunosuppressed patients

Patient whose immune system has decreased due to disease, or intentionally decreased with immunosuppressive drugs for organ transplant patients to prevent organ rejection.

Inert

A substance, such as the aiming beam of a laser, that is inactive and has no effect on tissue.

Inflammation

The body's protective response to injury or tissue destruction.

Ischemia

Lack of oxygenated blood supply to an area or organ of the body.

Keloid

Complication of wound healing resulting in hypertrophic scar formation.

Laceration

Cut or tear.

Ligated

The placement of a suture tie around a vessel or other anatomical structure for the purpose of constriction (i.e., to control hemorrhage from a blood vessel).

Monofilament sutures

Suture that is manufactured from one strand of natural or synthetic material.

Packing

Sterile fine-mesh gauze that is loosely placed in a chronic wound or one that has been left open to heal by second intention.

Pliability

The flexibility and/or how easily a material can be bent.

Primary suture line

Main suture that approximates the wound edges for first intention healing to occur.

PTFE

A synthetic coating used on certain types of nylon suture material to reduce the drag through tissue.

Rh (Rhesus) factor

Genetically determined blood group antigen that is present on the surface of erythrocytes of some individuals; if the antigen is present the individual is Rh1 (positive) and if absent Rh- (negative).

Second intention

Healing that occurs when a wound fails to heal by primary union, or the wound is left open and allowed to heal from the inside to the outside by filling with granulation tissue.

Secondary suture line

Sutures placed to support and ease the tension on the primary suture line, thus reinforcing the wound closure and obliterating any dead spaces.

Seroma

Swelling within a tissue or organ caused by the localized accumulation of serum.

Serosanguinous

Fluid that contains both blood and Serum.

Swaged

Strand of suture material with an eyeless needle attached by the manufacturer; the needle is continuous with the suture strand.

Synthetic

Material that is man-made such as synthetic sutures.

Tensile strength

Amount of pull or tension that a suture strand will withstand before breaking; expressed in pounds.

Third intention

Healing that occurs when two granulated surfaces are approximated; also referred to as delayed primary closure.

Tissue reaction

Abnormal response of tissue to foreign substances such as suture material.

Vessel loops

Thin strips made of silicone that can be placed around a vessel, nerve, or duct for the purposes of retracting or isolating; the loops are colored for easy identification of the retracted structures.

Wound disruption

General term for the various types of abnormal separation of a surgical wound such as dehiscence and evisceration.

hemostat clamp

An instrument used to grasp tissue on vessels, or clamp onto a vessel.

Rhesus factor (Rh)

Genetically determined blood group antigen that is present on the surface of erythrocytes of some individuals; if the antigen is present the individual is Rh1 (positive) and if absent Rh– (negative).

Granuloma:

Small inflamed area in tissue usually the result of an infection and often occur in the lungs.