Wound Guy in Florence, Italy at the WUWHS
Today the International Skin Tear Advisory Panel (ISTAP) provided sessional presentations and case studies on skin tear management at the WUWHS 2016 meeting in Florence, Italy. Anecdotally many health care clinicians report seeing many of these kind of wounds. However, the true nature of the incidence and prevalence of skin tears is hampered by a lack of common diagnostic terminology, data collection and research. Most clinical directives are based on expert opinion and as today’s case studies demonstrated, even the experts can’t agree on procedural and product matters. There is some way to go in order to elevate skin tears to the same status as pressure wounds and venous leg ulcers in terms of recognising the seriousness of these lesions, and enhancing their funding and resource allocation.