MadSci Network: Medicine
Query:

Re: Do wounds heal better when we are asleep or when we are awake?

Date: Fri Dec 7 08:29:49 2001
Posted By: Luc Ronchi, M.D., Anesthesiology, Anesthesiologie Hopital
Area of science: Medicine
ID: 1006603434.Me
Message:

Really a good question.

Healing is mainly mediated by local blood supply. The more blood your wound 
receives, the quicker it will heal.
This explains why, among patients with peripheral arteritic diseases (such 
as diabetes mellitus or smoking induced arteritis), a "little" wound on the 
skin will need more time to heal than among normal patients.

Regarding the question of sleep, I do not see any link between being awake 
or asleep, and the speed of healing. But you have to keep in mind what 
happens for patients who undergo very long operations (over 6 hours 
duration) or patients in critical state who are sedated (put asleep) for 
days. If they remain in the same position for days, the body weight will 
squeeze the skin in contact with the bed or the operating table, the blood 
supply to the skin will be dramatically reduced, and a wound (e.g. a 
surgical scar) will not heal.

Hope this helps.

Luc

Luc Ronchi, MD
Ped Anasthesia
Hopital de Saint Nazaire, France



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