Pressure ulcers. Assessment of healing.

Assessment of pressure ulcer healing involves observation during a complex series of cellular and molecular events that result in repair and restoration of skin integrity and function. Although the most important endpoint in healing is complete wound closure, it may not be a practical measurement in most settings. Assessment, therefore, often relies on measurement of partial healing, including changes in size and other wound characteristics over time. With no consensus about the best method for measurement of healing, it is not surprising that rates of healing have been described in only a few research studies. The establishment of a universal method for wound healing measurement is needed urgently.