6.0 Factors influencing wound healing

Local causes

• Necrotic tissue
• Infection/critically colonized wounds
• Repeated trauma to the wound
• Oedema
• Cooling of the wound
• Pain

Systemic causes
Inadequate nutrient supply to the wound, which can be:

• poor blood flow, arterial blood supply and venous drainage
• for poorly oxygenated blood, where the microcirculation is effected such as diabetes and smoking
• insufficient nutrients, which can be caused by poor nutritional status or malnutrition
• drugs (cytostatics, corticosteroids, nicorandil)
• certain diseases, including cancer, anaemia and diabetes
• age
• smoking