[Choosing suitable dressing].

CHOOSING SUITABLE DRESSING. The management of a wound can range from simple and quick to extremely complicated depending on whether it is an acute post-traumatic wound occurring on healthy skin or a chronic wound of vascular origin for example. In this treatment, knowledge of dressings is useful as a tool to aid healing but does not exempt us from understanding the mechanisms causing this wound. In the case of chronic wounds, those that have been in progress for more than four weeks, an etiological investigation is essential, including a peripheral arterial vascular and venolymphatic system evaluation. Once the cause has been identified, dressings contribute to healing but are not the only factors making it possible. Comprehensive care is necessary, considering the patient's lifestyle, their nutritional status, their compliance with treatment, and the use of dressings including compression. There is no suitable dressing common to all situations. Some dressings have properties that allow them to be applied at several stages of healing. The care protocols are therefore evolving, depending on the appearance of the wound.