Cross-Hatching in Wound Debridement: A Guide

Debridement is the removal of dead tissue in or around a wound to enhance healing, reduce infection and control odor. In chemical debridement, a cross-hatching technique is employed to further assist the healing process.

Facts

• The four main types of debridement are surgical, mechanical, autolytic and chemical. In chemical debridement, enzymes are applied to the wound to dissolve dead tissue.

Use

• Some wounds can produce thick crusts of dead tissue. In order for chemical debridement to be effective, the dead tissue will be cross-hatched with a scalpel.

Identification

• Cross-hatching is the scoring of thin cuts into the surface of the dead tissue. The slices are made in a crisscrossed, or cross-hatched, pattern.

Benefits

• Cross-hatching enables the enzymes in a chemical debridement to penetrate the crusted tissue. As a result, the healing process is accelerated.

Considerations

• Due to the sharp instruments involved, cross-hatching during debridement should only be performed by a skilled practitioner.