Lacerations

Acute illness

At any stage of life, it’s common to sustain a laceration to your skin. Often caused by sharp instruments such as a knife, it can be due to a larger blunt injury also.

First aid

After making sure the injured person is otherwise okay, and there are no more serious issues at hand (like a head injury or broken bones), apply a clean towel and firm pressure for 10 minutes if there is ongoing bleeding.

If the bleeding stops, or there was not much bleeding, make sure the wound looks clean. Is there any dirt or debris inside? This needs to be cleaned out and often just rinsing under tap water is sufficient (and safe).

Small, superficial lacerations can usually be dressed in a clean bandage from a first aid kit or a pharmacy.
If the laceration is wide and won’t come together easily, or looks deep, then it’s best to see a doctor.

When to call an ambulance

If there is significant bleeding that continues despite firm pressure, or of the bleeding pulsates – then call an ambulance on 000.

If there is worry that there’s a head or neck injury at the same time, or anything underlying is injured like a bone or tendon – head to hospital.

When to see a doctor

If all the dirt or debris cannot be removed from a wound
If the wound bleeds every time a dressing is changed
If there is difficulty closing the wound
If the wound becomes painful or inflamed, and this does not settle in a few days
If discharge from the wound becomes excessive, smelly or discoloured
If the wound turns black
If the wound is not healing or becoming larger
If the injury occurred at work

Tetanus immunisation

It’s important to note when you may have been last immunised against tetanus.
A booster often lasts 10 years and protects against most simple clean lacerations and injuries. However, if your laceration occurs on a dirty object (rusty nail) or on a place like a construction site, farm, in the woods or an abattoir – then your vaccine would give 5 years of good protection and you’ll also need a booster.

Laceration repair at Green Square Health

If you’ve injured yourself, give us a call and let the reception staff know what has happened. If it’s urgent we’ll try fit, you in as soon as possible. It’s best to get lacerations looked after as soon as they’ve happened to make sure everything is ok.

How wounds are repaired

Some grazes just need to be protected. This avoids the wound getting infected or irritated and allows the skin to heal without being interrupted.

Depending on how the wound looks and its location it can be a simple dry dressing, a waterproof dressing, or a medication impregnated dressing.

Sometimes medicated ointment or gel is applied to facilitate healing and avoid scarring.

Simple lacerations that are fairly close, but don’t quite need stitches can be approximated using tension strips. Steristrips are placed over one end, the wound brought together, then the strips placed on the other end. Sometimes special tinctures are used to help them hold this tension.

Some wounds are in a location that does really well with skin glue. If the wound is fairly superficial, straight edged, and there isn’t a lot of tension or movement – then skin glue is perfect. This is placed over a closed wound, and not in the wound. It acts like sutures and a dressing and begins to come off over about 5 days.

Wounds that are a little deeper, less regular in shape or size, or don’t come together without added support, or are in an area that has a lot of movement – these require the help of sutures.

Often non absorbable sutures are used to bring the wound together, and these are removed in 7-10 days depending on the area and the wound size.

Food poisoning

Burns: Immediate management and treatment

GSH Doctors who provides Acute Illness service

Dr Stephanie Andriputri

MBBS; BA; DRANZCOG; DCH; FRACGP

Acute IllnessChild Health ServicesChronic Disease Prevention & ManagementMental HealthReproductive HealthSexual HealthTravel HealthWomen’s HealthWork Health

Lacerations

Acute illness

First aid

When to call an ambulance

When to see a doctor

Tetanus immunisation

Laceration repair at Green Square Health

How wounds are repaired

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