The pH Value Changes During Wound Healing Process

Jeong, Jae Hoon; Lee, Sang Woo; Chang, Hak; Minn, Kyung Won

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-<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.