Malnutrition and Hard-to-Heal Wounds
Between 27% and 50% of hospitalised patients present with wounds prior to admission.
Others develop them during their hospital stay, which has a significant impact on the patient’s quality of life as well as representing a considerable healthcare cost.
Wounds are considered hard to heal if they do not heal within a maximum of 30 days. These chronic wounds heal slowly or may even fail to heal due to underlying problems.
Depending on the condition involved, we distinguish:
- Diabetic foot
- Pressure ulcers
- Vascular ulcers
- Severe burns
- Deep wounds
- Major surgery
Malnutrition in Patients with Wound Healing Problems:
The patient’s nutritional status is one of the most important factors related to the wound healing process.
Protein–energy malnutrition occurs when energy and protein intake is insufficient to meet nutritional requirements, resulting in loss of fat-free mass and subcutaneous adipose tissue, as well as peripheral oedema, poor wound healing and chronic infections.
Personalised nutritional intervention in this group of patients is necessary to improve their quality of life, reduce the likelihood of developing pressure ulcers and, therefore, lower the risk of hospitalisation or institutionalisation.
Nutritional Management
The use of protein modules, amino acid modules such as L-arginine, or complete high-protein diets are the most commonly used alternatives to nutritionally restore malnourished patients and promote the healing of wounds and pressure ulcers.