Wound Terminology

2. Course or path of tissue destruction occurring in any direction from the surface or edge of the wound; results in dead space with potential for potential abscess formation.
5. Area of tissue destruction extending under intact skin along the periphery of the wound; commonly seen in shear injuries.
9. A type of skin staining characterized by yellowish-brown, iron-containing, granular pigment, associated with bleeding and the breakdown of red blood cells.
10. Abnormal redness of skin due to inflammation.
12. Black or brown necrotic, devitalized tissue, may be hard, soft and loosely or firmly adherent.
13. Skin that tears, bruises or breaks easily.
14. Abnormal firmness of tissue.
15. Soft, moist avascular (necrotic/devitalized) tissue. It may be white, yellow, tan or green; it may be loose, stringy or firmly adherent.

1. Thin, watery drainage fluid.
3. The pink/red, moist tissue composed of new blood vessels, connective tissue, fibroblasts, and inflammatory cells, which fills an open wound when it starts to heal; typically appears deep pink or red with an irregular, granular surface.
4. Tissue that is spongey/mushy due to high fluid content.
6. The process of becoming covered with or converted to epithelium. The new epithelial cells advance across the wound until they eventually meet epithelial cells moving in from the opposite direction.
7. Loss of superficial skin layers, often caused by excessive moisture.
8. Thick or thin, opaque yellowish-white fluid. Composed of dead white blood cells, tissue debris and bacteria; formed as part of an inflammatory response.
11. Over hydration of the skin characterized by a white “waterlogged” appearance. Softening of tissue by soaking in fluids.