Archives of Plastic Surgery

Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (대한성형외과학회)
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The pH Value Changes During Wound Healing Process

창상치유 과정에서의 pH 변화

  • Jeong, Jae Hoon (Research Institute of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Sang Woo (Research Institute of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Chang, Hak (Research Institute of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Minn, Kyung Won (Research Institute of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine)
  • 정재훈 (서울대학교 의과대학 성형외과학교실, 성형재건연구소) ;
  • 이상우 (서울대학교 의과대학 성형외과학교실, 성형재건연구소) ;
  • 장학 (서울대학교 의과대학 성형외과학교실, 성형재건연구소) ;
  • 민경원 (서울대학교 의과대학 성형외과학교실, 성형재건연구소)
  • Received : 2007.11.24
  • Published : 2008.05.10
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Abstract

Purpose: For a proper wound care, the correct evaluation of wound is very important. Usually the evaluation of wound was subjective, and as a result, wound care was empirical. There were many attempts to objectify the wound evaluation, and one of them was measurement of the wound pH. The purpose of this study is to observe the wound pH changes during wound healing phase. Methods: From 2005 to 2007, we measured the pH values of 6 acute wounds, which were split thickness skin graft donor sites. In addition, we measured the pH values of 18 chronic wounds, which were 17 pressure sores and 1 tuberculosis ulcer. After pH meter ($SkinCheck1^{(R)}$, Hanna Instruments, Italy) was calibrated, wound pH was checked. Wound was cleansed with saline gauze and dressed with polyurethane foam dressing($Medifoam^{(R)}$, Biopol, Korea). Results: In split thickness skin graft donor sites, the pH raised(mean pH value: $7.45{\rightarrow}7.62$) when the wound was on the process of healing(*p=0.027, analysis of Wilcoxon signed-rank test). If wound became re-epithelialised, the pH value dropped to that of normal skin. However, we could not find a relation between time and the pH values in chronic wound. Conclusion: We could observe the consistent wound pH changes during wound healing phase in acute wound.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Supported by : 한국과학재단

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