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The presence of devitalized tissue in a wound is a common problem facing practitioners and is regarded by many as a major inhibitory factor in the wound-healing process and can act as a focus for microbial proliferation. Therefore, for wound healing to proceed in a logical and ordered fashion, it follows that any necrotic material should be cleared from the wound bed. Wound bed preparation is now recognized as crucial to facilitating ordered restoration and regeneration of damaged tissue. However, there is a clear lack of good clinical evidence to support available wound debridement options, particularly for chronic ulcers of the lower extremities. This article reviews the debridement options available to practitioners and discusses rationales for treatment and implications for clinical practice with specific reference to chronic venous leg ulcer management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]