Wound Care

Triston Welch68W Clinic Cat

A Brief Dive Into

Wounds & Wound Care

7. Parting Thoughts

6. Infection

5. Stages of Wound Healing

4. Management

3. Wound Cleaning

2. Blisters!

1. Types of Wounds

What are we covering?

• Contusions - Bruise
• Abrasions – Superficial damage (Epidermis and partial dermis
• Punctures – Bites, stabbing wounds (MUST search for foreign bodies)
• Lacerations – Through the dermis to subcutaneous
• High velocity - GSW/Explosions
• Amputation – Severely mangled or missing limbs

Types of Wounds

• LEAVE THEM ALONE!
• We are only lancing blisters that are large and appear to be infected (discolored, surrounded by red streaking, warm to the touch).
• Dealing with a popped blister:
• Joes love to mess with things that they shouldn’t. If they pop a blister from messing with it or one pops during a movement:
• Cover the blister with a gauze pad and tape around. We want to allow the wound to breathe and dry out. Monitor closely for the development of infection.

Blisters!

Genially

REMEMBER!We are only lancing, draining and messing with blisters if they appear to be infected (discolored, red streaking, unusually STANKY [like...worse than Mills], etc.)

• Prevent any further injury
• Control any bleeding
• Examine the wound for:
• Depth, width, damage to structures such as muscle and bones
• CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN!
• Warm water and antibacterial soap work best after irrigation! Debriment is VERY important!
• Determine how to close the wound:
• Sutures? Steri-strips? Band-aid?
• Do we need an anesthetic?
• Antibiotics:
• Simple Bacitracin? IV ertapenem? Oral moxifloxacin?

Wound Cleaning

• Pain control
• Motrin and Sock Change? Special K?
• Debridement/Irrigation
• Closure
• Absorbable sutures absorb within 14 days and don’t require removal!
• Antiseptics
• Toxic to tissues and impede healing

Management

• Inflammatory
• Begins at time of injury
• Immune system is activated to prevent infection
• Lasts about 4-6 days.
• Fibroblastic/ Proliferative
• Scabbing time!
• Fibroblasts are laying the foundation for scabs
• Lasts 4-24 days
• Don’t pick them!
• Maturation
• Chicks dig scars!
• Wound is covered and tissue is strengthened.
• Time frame is dependent on patient and wound complications like infection

Stages of Wound Healing

• The field is dirty! Lack of proper hygiene + open wounds = a great chance of infection that could’ve been easily avoided.
• We can’t do anything about the field conditions, but we can control the quality of wound cleaning and periodic check ups/care!
• Prior to cleaning, irrigate the wound with clean water to remove any debris.
• Infection will present with red streaking, swelling, area is warm to the touch, potential for bad smell.

Hey Doc, Does This Look Infected?

• Cuts/lacerations to the head and face will present a lot scarier than they are!
• Think about it…your brain needs a lot of blood! Where is your brain? YOUR HEAD.
• Most common spots for scrapes/abrasions:
• Hands
• Elbows
• Knees
• Cleaning with alcohol pads is a no go.
• If it can’t be covered by a band-aid, then move to gauze and tape.
• The field is a gross place…some of our people are gross regardless if we are in the field or not. You are the one who needs to ensure they are AT LEAST cleaning their wounds if not their entire body.

Parting Thoughts

Questions? No? Cool. GTFO.

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