Nursing Experience in Moist Wound Healing

The concepts of wound healing are divided into dry wound healing and moist wound healing. The traditional concept of dry wound healing holds that wounds require a dry environment and oxygen for healing. In fact, human oxygen utilization depends on oxygen‑binding by hemoglobin, and atmospheric oxygen cannot be directly utilized by wounds.

Due to the poor healing environment of dry wound healing, wounds are prone to dehydration and scab formation, which impedes epithelial cell migration. It also results in the loss of bioactive substances and delayed wound healing. Dry dressings fail to block bacterial invasion or maintain optimal wound temperature and humidity, thus compromising wound repair.

Currently, moist wound healing represents the most advanced and widely‑accepted healing concept internationally. Moist wound healing modulates wound oxygen tension and promotes capillary formation. The generation of epithelial cells and collagen fibers is closely related to wound oxygen tension; low oxygen tension facilitates the production of epithelial cells and collagen and accelerates wound healing.

Moist wound healing also facilitates the lysis of necrotic tissue and fibrin. Wounds cannot heal until necrotic tissue and deposited fibrin are removed. In a moist healing environment, tissue proteolytic enzymes contained in wound exudate are retained, promoting the dissolution and absorption of such tissues.

Furthermore, moist wound healing maintains a constant temperature at the wound bed conducive to tissue growth. It prevents scab formation and avoids secondary mechanical injury to newly‑formed granulation tissue. It protects nerve endings on the wound surface and alleviates pain during dressing changes. Accordingly, moist wound healing provides an optimal microenvironment for wound repair.

Moist dressings debride necrotic tissue, prevent bacterial invasion, cause no irritation to the wound and surrounding tissues, and keep the wound at 37 °C to create ideal conditions for healing.
During the debridement phase, tissue hydration accelerates the decomposition and clearance of necrotic tissue.
In the granulation phase, it boosts the release of various growth factors and stimulates capillary proliferation.
In the epithelialization phase, epidermal cells migrate faster under moist conditions, further accelerating wound healing.