Deciphering between Eschar and Slough

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Ok, so I saw a patient with a pressure ulcer that healed a long time ago, but on my first assessment of him, he had a very hard callous like, light colored covering over the wound bed. I think there is probably something brewing under this layer of hard tissue. My question is if this can be documented as eschar since it is hard dead tissue? I am unsure due to the light coloring of the tissue.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

My medical dictionary defines eschar as slough that is dark in color.I always understood that eschar was black dry slough.

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Is this a foot wound?

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Specializes in Wound Care , Foot Care,and Geriatrics.

HHnurse22,

Where is the wound; and how are you treating it?

I would describe it as hard adherent slough.

Where I work the wounds are constantly "de roofed" exposing lots of soft slough etc. Perfect breeding ground :)

Do you have a standardized Wound Care Assessment Flow Sheet?

Keep us posted.

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please correct me if I am wrong, slough is soft and mushy and eschar is hard no matter the color. It is usually black but I have heard of tan eschar. Please let me know if I am wrong.

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I was just looking at a wound with a doctor who referred to light-colored but hard material as eschar.

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