When and How to Culture a Chronic Wound
Summary: In a Wound Care Advisor article, Marcia Spear, DNP, ACNP-BC, CWS, CPSN explains that chronic wounds should only be cultured when there are clear clinical signs of infection—recognizing that “classic” signs may not always be present.
Key Highlights:
- Cultures are warranted when additional signs are present: increased pain, necrotic tissue, delayed healing, or wound bed deterioration—even without classic infection indicators.
- Quantitative tissue biopsy remains the gold standard for accuracy, but the Levine swab technique is a validated and practical alternative in clinical settings.
- Proper technique matters: swab after cleansing and gentle debridement, ideally focusing on the most suspicious or non-healing area for meaningful results.
Read the full article on Wound Care Advisor
Keywords:
wound culture,
chronic wound,
Levine technique,
tissue biopsy,
Marcia Spear