Wound Care at Stanford

Stanford Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery provides advanced care for complex wounds that do not heal on their own in an expected time frame. Led by specialists experienced in both surgical and regenerative approaches, our team focuses on restoring tissue integrity, preventing infection, and improving long-term function and appearance. Whether a wound is caused by trauma, surgery, diabetes, vascular disease or radiation, our goal is to promote complete healing through personalized, multidisciplinary wound care.

Stanford’s wound care program offers both non-surgical and surgical management. Non-surgical approaches may include specialized dressings, negative pressure (vacuum-assisted) wound therapy, and hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Surgical interventions range from debridement in the clinic, to more involved surgery in the operating room, such as  skin grafting or  complex flap reconstruction. Your wound care doctor will have a detailed conversation with you to decide on the proper treatment strategy based  careful consideration of many factors including the wound’s etiology, size, and depth, as well as individual patient medical conditions.

Debridement and Wound Bed Preparation

For chronic or infected wounds, debridement is used to remove dead or damaged tissue, reduce bacterial load, and prepare the wound for closure. Stanford surgeons use a variety of techniques, including enzymatic, mechanical, and surgical debridement, to create optimal conditions for healing. Once the wound bed is optimized, the majority of patients are able to heal the wounds with consistent weekly wound care and debridement.  In more complex wounds, this may  serveas the first step toward skin grafting or flap reconstruction, for definitive wound closure.

Skin Grafting and Tissue Coverage

When wounds cannot heal or have delayed healing  with the body's own mechanisms, skin grafts or local flaps may be used to permit wound closure. . Split-thickness skin grafts provide surface closure for large wounds, while  flaps offer more durable solutions for deeper wounds. Prior to surgery, our team uses in depth surgical planning to achieve the best possible cosmetic and functional outcomes.

Complex Wound Reconstruction

For patients with severe wounds involving exposed bone, tendon, or implant material, microsurgical free-flap transfer provides robust, well-vascularized coverage. Stanford’s reconstructive surgeons specialize in these advanced procedures, and collaborate closely with their colleagues in other specialties to deliver individualized care, aiming to restore quality of life after trauma, infection, or cancer.

Our wound care team treats chronic and complex wounds, including:

• Non-healing surgical wounds
• Diabetic foot ulcers
• Vascular ulcers – venous and arterial
• Pressure sores or decubitus ulcers
• Wounds after radiation therapy
• Wounds following skin cancer removal
• Traumatic wounds with tissue loss
• Chronic infection or osteomyelitis

Stanford’s wound care program brings together specialists in plastic surgery, vascular surgery, and infectious disease to provide comprehensive, evidence-based treatment. Our surgeons are experienced in both traditional and comprehensive reconstructive methods. Patients benefit from a personalized care plan and ongoing support throughout recovery.

At your consultation, your care team will evaluate your wound through a detailed history, physical exam, clinical assessment of blood supply and advise on further investigation.  ou’ll receive a tailored treatment plan that may combine medical management, surgical reconstruction, and physical therapy. Our goal is not only to close the wound but to restore comfort, mobility, and long-term health.