[Physiology and pathophysiology of wound healing of wound defects]

Understanding wound healing involves more than simply stating that there are the three phases of inflammation, proliferation and maturation. Wound healing is a complex series of actions, reactions and interactions among cells and mediators in a sequential and simultaneously ongoing temporal process within a spatial frame. At first this article will attempt to provide a concise summary of the events, cellular components and main influential mediators of wound healing over time. Secondly, the pathophysiology of chronic non-healing wounds is described where an imbalance of stimulating and inhibiting factors causes failure of healing. The most relevant extrinsic and intrinsic determinants are described and related to the cellular and molecular level of disturbed wound healing. A basic understanding of wound healing is a prerequisite for any prophylactic or therapeutic maneuver to maintain or re-establish wound equilibrium to give a satisfactory healing trajectory.