JEDDAH, 2 June 2004 — King Abdul Aziz Medical City (KAMC) held a workshop on Monday for wound care, organized by the surgery department as part of its medical educational program. KAMC Hospital uses the most advanced wound care methods to prevent patients from having a setback in their treatment.
A presentation on the fundamentals of wound healing was given by Dr. Magdy Abdulmoneum, who also gave a comprehensive overview of the basic anatomy and physiology of the skin, the phases of the healing process and the types of wounds and wound repair.
Dr. Khalid Idriss, pediatric foot and ankle surgeon, said with the high incidence of diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia, it is important to know how to prevent and treat ulcers on the feet — generally known as diabetic foot ulcers. People suffering from diabetes mellitus have less feeling in their feet and the ulcers are able to develop there without the patient’s knowledge. This type of ulcer is very difficult to heal, the doctor said.
A talk about complicated wounds was presented by Dr. Yousef Sonbul, consultant and head of plastic surgery and the burns unit. With awareness about wound care worldwide, the need for research-based products has increased. Products that require less dressing changes are more sought after as they are more cost effective and cause less pain to the patient. This gives the wound time to heal without interference and less chance for bacteria to enter and cause infection.
Dr. Mohammed Erfan talked about pressure ulcers, which are a major problem for bedridden patients and patients in wheel chairs. His focus was on how to prevent ulcers from developing. Prevention, he said, was better than cure as it is difficult for caregivers to deal with someone with several pressure ulcers.
The workshops were given under the supervision of Dr. Tawfeik Al-Yafi, chairman of the organizing committee, and Marietjie van Reenen, the hospital’s Wound Care Nurse.
