Wound Dressing
During wound dressing, the condition of the wound is assessed, it is taken care of as needed, and an appropriate bandage is applied. Dressings may be needed after surgeries, injuries, suture placement, or when treating slower healing wounds.
How often to change the bandage depends on the type of wound, the amount of discharge, the dressing used, and the doctor's instructions. After surgery, it is first necessary to follow the care scheme provided by the operating specialist, as different wounds have different recommendations.
When should a doctor assess the wound?
Increasing redness or swelling, intensifying pain, purulent discharge, unpleasant odor, fever, or separated wound edges may indicate a complication. In such cases, changing the bandage alone is not enough - medical evaluation is required.
If the wound bleeds heavily, is deep, resulted from a severe injury, or may contain a foreign object, it should first be assessed whether more urgent treatment is needed. Dressing is part of wound care, not a substitute for treating all wounds.