Lacerations and stab wounds
In any laceration, check:
- site and extent of haemorrhage
- any nerve or tendon damage
- site and depth of wound
Refer stab wounds of chest and abdomen to A/E dept:
- the size of the skin wound does not correlate with injury
- sliding tissue planes may give a false depth on probing
Immediate treatment:
- cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- continuous pressure to control bleeding (not tourniquet)
- Haemaccel i.v. drip (doesn't interfere with cross-match)
- tetanus booster or immunoglobulin and antibiotic cover
For particular injuries, see the section organised by anatomical system in the Accident Service chapter.
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