<p>Moisture is essential to the normal healing process in acute wounds. In chronic wounds, however, exudate can be detrimental to wound healing. Wound exudate, particularly from chronic wounds, contains a cocktail of elements (cellular debris and enzymes), which can be very corrosive to the wound bed itself and the skin surrounding the wound. Careful holistic assessment of the patient and the wound is essential to determine if exudate is delaying the healing process. This article looks at ways that clinicians can identify excess wound exudate, as well as offering some innovative solutions, such as wound bed irrigation.</p>
