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

● Granulation: During the proliferative phase of healing, this is the bright red tissue formed from
new capillary loops which are red/deep pink and moist. They have a granular appearance.
● Growth Factors: Peptides which are a sub-set of cytokines vital for cell proliferation.
● Haematoma: A bruise or collection of blood in tissues.
● Haemostasis: The arrest of bleeding either by the physiological properties of vasoconstriction,
coagulation or by surgical means.
● Hallux Valgus: Deformity of the big toe.
● HSE: Health Service Executive
● Hydrophobic: Water repellent.
● Hydrophyllic: Can readily absorb water.
● Hyperaemia: The presence of excess blood in the vessels supplying part of the body.
● Hyperglycaemia: Elevated serum glucose levels.
● Hypergranulation: Overgranulation- excessive laying down of new blood vessels creating
a bulge of highly vascular tissue which bleeds easily. The tissue forms beyond the level of the
surface level of the wound and prevents epithelialisation from occurring.
● Hyperkeratosis: thickening of the epidermis.
● Hypertension: High blood pressure.
● Hypertrophic scar: Develops soon after injury as a result of a wounding from for example,
vaccination, acne or surgery. More common in large scars such as burns and unlike keloid these
scars do not invade the skin beyond the wound margins.
● Hypoglycaemia: Low serum glucose levels.
● Induration: Hard (indurated) pigmented skin (lipodermatosclerosis) may be suggestive of
venous disease.
● Infection: Condition in which the host interacts physiologically and immunologically with a
micro-organism. Clinical evidence of redness, heat and pain are prominent. See also surgical site
infection.
● Inflammation: Defensive reaction to tissue injury; involves increased blood flow and capillary
permeability and facilitates physiologic cleanup of the wound; accompanied by increased heat,
redness, swelling and pain in the affected area.
● Insulation: Maintenance of wound temperature close to body temperature.
● Intermittent Claudication: Pain experienced in the calf, thigh, or buttock muscles after walking
for a distance and which disappears following a few minutes rest. By implication arterial disease
should be suspected and investigated.
● Intertriginous: An area where apposing skin surfaces are in prolonged contact such as in the groin
or axilla and under the breasts; friction and moisture entrapment are common complications.
● Intertrigo: A mild inflammatory process that occurs on apposing skin surfaces because of friction
and moisture; characterised by erythema, superficial linear erosions at the base of the skin fold, or
circular erosion between the buttocks.
● Ischaemia: Deficiency of blood caused by functional constriction or obstruction of a
blood vessel.
● Keloid: A thick proturberance of scar tissue. This out-growth of excessive collagen continues to
grow for a considerable time, in some cases years and can invade the healthy peri-wound skin.
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