Laceration Repair
Types of emergency lacerations
and how they’re treated include:
- Lacerations: Simple lacerations are usually treated by complete closure by tension-relieving suture techniques, sliding tissue flaps, or grafts. Internal damage must be treated before closure. Contaminated wounds may be treated as an open wound or closed with drains.
- Bite wounds: Bite wounds are a common form of injury, and because each bite is different, the method of repair is different per case. Complete closure is not usually recommended because bite wounds are considered contaminated. Common forms of repair are closure with drains or delayed closure.
- Degloving injuries: Degloving injuries involve a loss of skin and deeper tissue. These can be caused by forceful pressure on the skin and can commonly happen in car accidents. Degloving injuries can be treated by attempting to salvage tissue and delayed stabilization until the infection is resolved.
- Gunshot injuries: Most damage from gunshot wounds is internal. Gunshot wounds are considered to be contaminated, so they are treated like open wounds. Forms of treatment include external fixation, bone plates, or nails. Often, pieces of the projectile need to be extracted by an exploratory surgery.
