Wound debridement: therapeutic options and care considerations.

Wound debridement is a critical component of promoting optimal healing for a wound with necrotic tissue. Although much is known about the multiple barriers to healing that necrotic detritus presents, much is still unknown about the best ways, timing, and approaches to constructing a healthy wound bed. Falanga's "black box," a metaphor for the unknown components of wound healing and debridement, should remind all practitioners that future research needs to address the continuing questions and issues associated with promotion of quality chronic wound healing outcomes.