Wounds 1

Question 1

Mechanical Injuries

Answer 1

• Abrasions(grazes) - least serious, heal the best but very painful
• Lacerations(tears) - can be very deep but tends to stop at subcutaneous layer
• Penetrating
– Stab wounds (bleed alot internally)
– Bullet wounds
• Bites
– Insect
– Animal 
– Human
• Surgical (controlled injury)

Question 2

How does treatment vary for bites

Answer 2

• For animal and human bites always get antibiotic therapy. - For insect bites you will only get antibiotic if it is infected

Question 3

Burns and Chemical Injuries

Answer 3

• Partial thickness

– Superficial (often painless, damage to skin does not cause damage to nerves however if you get intensive sunburn then you get an inflammatory nerves which stimulates the nerves and causes pain. Eg, sunburn)

– Superficial dermal (Eg photosensitivity burn. Large fluid filled blisters)

– Deep dermal

• Full thickness (dangerous and painless as nerve endings are burned away)

Question 4

When should burns be referred

Answer 4

A burn that covers more than 3% of the area should be referred

Question 5

Chronic Ulcerative Wounds

Answer 5

• Decubitous ulcers (pressure sores caused by the area of the body being in prolonged contact with a hard surface)
– Pressure sores, bed sores
• Leg ulcers (common in diabetic patients, elderly patients)
• Infective ulcers (eg. infective insect bites)
• Radiotherapy (cancer patients receiving radiotherapy - extremely painful but not too big)
• Malignant disease