Wound Management Flashcards
What is the first step in wound management?
Patient Stabilization
How would you stabilize active arterial hemorrhage?
Fluid therapy
Why would you use ultrasound for wound assessment?
Assess the depth of the wound
What instrument can be used for wound depth assessment?
Malleable probe
What should you administer for all wounds?
tetanus booster
What should you do if the vaccination status is unknown?
Booster with tetanus toxoid
What should you do if the vaccination status is unvaccinated?
Give tetanus toxoid and tetanus antitoxin
What is the reason that most repaired wounds fail?
improper preparation and assessment
Primary closure
immediate closure
When would you perform a primary closure?
clean
clean-contaminated wound
Delayed primary closure
2-5 days after injury - before granulation tissue production
When would you perform a delayed primary closure?
Contaminated wounds/ Questionable viability
Edema/tension
Secondary Closure
Closure 5 days after injury
When would you perform a secondary closure?
contaminated/infected wound
Second intention healing
granulation tissue, wound contracture and epithelialization
What are the factors that affect the decision of closure?
Time Appearance of wound before and after debridement type of injury tissue availability location anticipated complications
What are the three phases of wound healing?
Inflammation/Lag
Proliferative
Remodeling
What occurs in the Inflammation/lag phase of wound healing?
Hemostasis and acute inflammation
What occurs in the Proliferative phase of wound healing?
Tissue formation
What occurs in the Remodeling phase of wound healing?
Regaining strength
List what occurs in the Proliferative Phase of wound healing?
Macrophage release of tissue growth factors initiating proliferative phase
Angiogenesis
Fibroplasia and granulation tissue formation
Collagen deposition
Epithelialization
Wound contraction
When is collagen produced in a wound?
2-3 days after wounding
When does epithelialization start?
Immediately
When does contracture begin?
2nd week after injury
When does contracture stop?
when skin tension is greater than the ability to contract
What is the single most important factor to wound success?
Debridement
What are the ways to debride?
Sharp
Irrigation
Direct contact
What are the characteristics of wound lavage?
Non-toxic solution
Appropriate pressure and volume
What is the best lavage fluid?
Saline LRS (Sterile isotonic)
Why would you ever use Scarlet Oil?
Used in an area for encouraging granulation tissue
What should you not use on a wound?
Steroids
What is the problem with using Nitrofurazone?
carcinogenic: causing ovarian cancer in rats
What is the problem with Vetricyn?
Hypochlorite
What is Polysporin?
Triple antibiotic without Neomycin
Why would you use Hydrogels?
Desiccates wounds that bring moisture into the wound bed
When would you use Hypertonic Saline Dressing?
Exudative or necrotic wounds
What is the reason for using Kerlix AMD?
Microbes unable to become resistant
What should you do if the wound is near a synovial structure?
After collecting a sample of synovial fluid distend the joint with sterile isotonic solution
What do you call an open joint?
Septic Joint
What is the purpose of the Slipper Cast?
Minimize movement of the coffin joint
What should you be aware of with Pastern lacerations?
Tendon sheath
Pastern joint
What should you be aware of with Heel bulb lacerations?
Coffin joint
What should you be aware of with a puncture wound to the sole/frog?
navicular bursa
When would you apply a cast/splint?
Extensive soft tissue loss
Loss/disruption of supportive soft tissue structures
What are the concerns for a wound in the axillary region?
Subcutaneous emphysema
What is the rule of full thickness eyelid repairs?
lacerations must be repaired surgically