Carnegie Mellon

Wounds

Lacerations and Abrasions

Anytime there is injury to the soft tissue (layers of skin, fat and muscle beneath the skin) there is a possibility of extensive damage to or infection developing in the area. All such injuries whether large or small should be carefully evaluated and treated if necessary.

Types of Wounds

• Bruise / Contusion -- Damage to soft tissues and blood vessels with bleeding under the skin.
• Scrape -- Caused by skin that has been rubbed away.
• Cut / Laceration -- Usually caused by a sharp object but can also be caused by blunt force injury. These types of injuries usually bleed a lot.
• Avulsion -- A cut in which part of the skin or soft tissue is torn away. There is usually a large amount of bleeding and is very painful.
• Puncture -- Any wound that is caused by a pointed object such as a nail, piece of glass, or knife. These type of wounds do not bleed much, if at all, and are very susceptible to infection.

Treatment

• Evaluate for type.

For Minor Injuries Such As Scrape / Abrasion

• Clean with soap and water and bandage appropriately.

For a Bruise / Contusion

• A bruise / contusion can been cleaned and ice applied to the area.

For a Punction Wound

• If the punction wound still has the object in the wound, do not remove object unless it is small, such as a splinter.
• Seek medical evaluation.
• If the victim has not had a tetanus injection within the past 5 - 10 years, a booster shot is recommended.

For Major Injuries Such As a Cut / Laceration or Avulsion

• Control the bleeding.
• Apply clean dressing.
• Seek medical evaluation.

For all wounds it is important to seek medical advice if there are any signs of infection or the wound is not healing as expected.

Signs of Infection

• Area around the wound becomes swollen and red.
• The area is painful and warm.
• The wound has a discharge that looks like pus.
• The victim has a fever and feels ill.
• The victim has red streaks going from the wound in the direction of the heart.