This article provides simplified direction for selecting appropriate dressings for open wounds by focusing on the phase of healing as evidenced by the predominant condition of the wound base. It has been well documented that inappropriate topical management can delay healing and, in today's age of scientific-based clinical practice, this is unacceptable. An immediate challenge for the clinician is to discern which product(s) should be used to achieve the ideal wound environment. As there is a proliferation of products in the market, this is no easy task. To simplify the selection process, clinical macroscopic indices that are representative of three classification systems have been combined to provide a generic protocol.
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