Basic Plastic Surgery Flashcards
What are the aims of wound management?
Early healing
Avoid infection
Minimise long-term scarring
How do you assess a wound?
Mechanism of injury
Extent of skin loss
Underlying structures
Any impairment of wound healing
What are some causes of wound healing?
Arterial insufficiency Venous insufficiency Pressure Infection Diabetes Nutritional deficiency Radiation Drugs; eg: steroids Smoking
What are the principles of wound management?
Assessment of wound and patient
Tetanus prophylaxis
Debridement
Wound closure
What does debridement involve?
Physical removal of all dead tissue and foreign matter
Lavage to reduce bacterial count
What is the management for bite wounds?
High risk of infection! Thorough debridement Antibiotics Determine type of closure or secondary intention healing Never suture close a human bite wound
How do pressure sores occur?
Impairment of blood supply due to pressure of body on wound > occludes vessels
What is the management for pressure sures?
Assess overall health
Pressure care
Debridement to healthy tissue
Skin graft/flap when underlying causes have been corrected and good pressure care in place
What is the aim of wound dressings?
Debridement Reduction of bacterial count Maintenance of favourable environment Protection/splinting of wound Apply pressure to reduce bleeding Reduce pain
What is negative pressure wound therapy?
Open cell sponge applied directly to wound
Clear, occlusive plastic dressing
Tubing connected to negative pressure pump
Removes fluid from wound
What is a hypertrophic scar?
Exaggerated normal remodelling response
Stays within margins of original wound
What is a keloid scar?
Extends beyond original wound
Which racial groups do hypertrophic and keloid scars affect?
Hypertrophic - all racial groups
Keloid - African and Asians most common
Which areas of the body do hypertrophic and keloid scars affect?
Hypertrophic - some areas more common
Keloid - any part
How do hypertrophic and keloid scars change over time?
Hypertrophic - improve
Keloid - progress
What is the response of hypertrophic and keloid scars to steroid injections, and pressure?
Hypertrophic - respond well
Keloid - less responsive
What is a graft?
Transferred tissue dependent on recipient site for nutrition
Develops vascular network from recipient bed
What is a flap?
Transferred tissue independent of recipient site for nutrition
Carries own vascular network
What is a split skin graft?
Harvest epidermis and part of dermis
Leaves wound like deep graze > heals > pale scar