The traditions and terminology of wound dressings: Food for thought

During the past 40 years, health care professionals have witnessed an evolution of wound care traditions and terminology and an explosion in the number of wound care products and the amount of information. Unfortunately, these developments have not resulted in optimal wound care for all patients. Appropriate dressing selection and communication are hampered by a lack of clinically valid definitions, as well as ambiguous indications, contraindications, and instructions for their use. One method of setting the stage for a more therapeutic future would be to classify dressings based on their functions rather than the ingredients they contain.