National best practice and evidence based guidelines for wound ...

● Bulla/Bullae: Another term for blisters. Circumscribed, elevated, palpable mass >0.5 cm,
containing serous fluid.
● Burger’s test: In the presence of critical arterial disease where the A.B.P.I is < 0.5 or the perfusion
pressure of the lower limb is severely impaired, Burger’s test can be demonstrated. The patient lies
supine and the limb is elevated to about 45 degrees for a period of not less than 2 minutes. The
foot may go pale with no demonstrable capillary return and the presence of venous guttering in
the foot can be seen. To complete a positive test the patient then sits with the leg dependent over
the edge of the bed and after a further 1-2 minutes an intense dusky red hyperaemic response is
seen.
● Callus: A build up of keratinised skin. This is a reaction to persistent pressure.
● Cellulitis: A spreading non-suppurative infection of the soft tissue. Inflammation and infection of
the skin and subcutaneous tissue most commonly due to streptococci or staphylococci.
● Charcot-foot: Non-infectious destruction of bone and joint associated with neuropathy, neuroosteoarthropathy.
● Chronic Venous Disease (CVD): Defined as ambulatory venous hypertension with an abnormally
high pressure in the superficial lower leg veins, generated by standing or walking. The fundamental
mechanism is damage to vein valves rendering them incompetent particularly the perforator
veins. Clinical signs of C.V.D. include oedema, pigmentation, eczema, lipodermatosclerosis,
atrophie blanche and ulceration.
● Chronic Wound: A wound that has failed to proceed through an orderly and timely reparative
process to produce anatomic and functional integrity or that has proceeded through the repair
process without establishing a sustained anatomic and functional result.
● Claudication: Severe pain in the legs associated with spasm of the arteries.
● Clean technique: Modified aseptic technique performed by one person where sterile gloves are
not required and potable tap water or shower can be used for cleansing.
● Co morbidity: The presence of co-existing or additional disease with reference to either an initial
diagnosis or to the index condition that is the subject of study. Co-morbidity may affect the ability
of affected individuals to function and their survival. It may be used as a prognostic indicator for
length of hospital stay, cost factors and outcome or survival.
● Colonisation: Micro-organisms present in or on a host, without host interference or interaction
and without eliciting symptoms in the host.
● Contact Dermatitis: Is an exogenous eczema caused by external factors that have either irritated
the skin or caused an allergic reaction. The eczema normally occurs in areas of direct contact but if
sufficiently severe the eczema may become generalised. Researchers have observed that patients
with eczema around their leg ulcers have more allergies than those without.
● Contamination: Presence of micro-organisms but without multiplication.
● Contraction: A function of the healing process in granulating wounds whereby the edges of the
wound are drawn towards each other in wounds healing by secondary intention.
● Contusion: Rupture of small blood vessels sustained from a blow with a blunt instrument and
causing localised bleeding into the tissue.
● Critical colonisation: Delayed healing with malodour, raised levels of exudate and slough
present in the wound but without clinical infection and surrounding cellulites.
● Cytokine: A chemical messenger. See also growth factors.
● Cytotoxic: Chemical that is directly toxic to cells preventing their reproduction or growth.
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