Wound

A wound is a type of injury which happens relatively quickly in which skin is torn, cut, or punctured (an open wound),
Wound
or where blunt force trauma causes a contusion (a closed wound). In pathology, it specifically refers to a sharp injury
which damages the dermis of the skin.

Contents
1 Classification
1.1 Open
1.2 Closed
2 Pathophysiology
3 Diagnosis
4 Management
4.1 Cleaning
4.2 Closure
Wounds on a male torso
4.3 Dressings
4.4 Alternative medicine Classification and external resources
5 Complications Specialty Emergency medicine
5.1 Workup
ICD-10 T14.0 (http://apps.who.int/classificati
5.2 Chronic
ons/icd10/browse/2016/en#/T14.0)-
6 History T14.1 (http://apps.who.int/classificati
7 Research ons/icd10/browse/2016/en#/T14.1)
8 See also
ICD-9- 872 (http://www.icd9data.com/getIC
9 References CM D9Code.ashx?icd9=872)-893 (http://
10 External links www.icd9data.com/getICD9Code.as
hx?icd9=893)
MeSH D014947 (https://www.nlm.nih.gov/c
Classification gi/mesh/2017/MB_cgi?field=uid&ter
According to level of contamination, a wound can be classified as:
m=D014947)

Clean wound made under sterile conditions where there are no organisms present, and the skin is likely to heal without complications.
Contaminated wound usually resulting from accidental injury; there are pathogenic organisms and foreign bodies in the wound.
Infected wound the wound has pathogenic organisms present and multiplying, exhibiting clinical signs of infection (yellow appearance, soreness, redness, oozing pus).
Colonized wound a chronic situation, containing pathogenic organisms, difficult to heal (i.e. bedsore).

Open
Open wounds can be classified according to the object that caused the wound:

Incisions or incised wounds caused by a clean, sharp-edged object such as a knife, razor, or glass splinter.
Lacerations irregular tear-like wounds caused by some blunt trauma. Lacerations and incisions may appear linear (regular) or stellate (irregular). The term laceration is
commonly misused in reference to incisions.
Abrasions (grazes) superficial wounds in which the topmost layer of the skin (the epidermis) is scraped off. Abrasions are often caused by a sliding fall onto a rough
surface.
Avulsions injuries in which a body structure is forcibly detached from its normal point of insertion. A type of amputation where the extremity is pulled off rather than cut off.
Puncture wounds caused by an object puncturing the skin, such as a splinter, nail or needle.
Penetration wounds caused by an object such as a knife entering and coming out from the skin.
Gunshot wounds caused by a bullet or similar projectile driving into or through the body. There may be two wounds, one at the site of entry and one at the site of exit,
generally referred to as a "through-and-through."

Closed
Closed wounds have fewer categories, but are just as dangerous as open wounds:

Hematomas (or blood tumor) caused by damage to a blood vessel that in turn causes blood to collect under the skin.

Hematomas that originate from internal blood vessel pathology are petechiae, purpura, and ecchymosis. The different classifications are based on size.
Hematomas that originate from an external source of trauma are contusions, also commonly called bruises.
Crush injury caused by a great or extreme amount of force applied over a long period of time.
 An open wound (an A laceration to the leg An infected puncture A puncture wound from An incision: a small cut Fresh incisional wound
avulsion) wound to the bottom of playing darts. in a finger. on the fingertip of the left
the forefoot. ring finger.

Abrasion of the lower

leg. Guinea-Bissau,
1974

Pathophysiology
To heal a wound, the body undertakes a series of actions collectively known as the wound healing process.

Diagnosis
A wound may be recorded for follow-up and observing progress of healing with different techniques which include:[1]

Photographs, with subsequent area quantification using computer processing

Wound tracings on acetate sheets
Kundin wound gauge

Management
The overall treatment depends on the type, cause, and depth of the wound, and whether other structures beyond the skin (dermis)
are involved. Treatment of recent lacerations involves examining, cleaning, and closing the wound. Minor wounds, like bruises, will
heal on their own, with skin discoloration usually disappearing in 12 weeks. Abrasions, which are wounds with intact skin (non-
penetration through dermis to subcutaneous fat), usually require no active treatment except keeping the area clean, initially with
soap and water. Puncture wounds may be prone to infection depending on the depth of penetration. The entry of puncture wound is
left open to allow for bacteria or debris to be removed from inside.

Cleaning
Evidence to support the cleaning of wounds before closure is scant.[2] For simple lacerations, cleaning can be accomplished using a
number of different solutions, including tap water and sterile saline solution.[2] Infection rates may be lower with the use of tap water
in regions where water quality is high.[2] Cleaning of a wound is also known as 'wound toilet'.[3] Wound, sewn with four stitches

Closure
If a person presents to a healthcare center within 6 hours of a laceration they are typically closed immediately after evaluating and cleaning the wound. After this point in time,
however, there is a theoretical concern of increased risks of infection if closed immediately.[4] Thus some healthcare providers may delay closure while others may be willing to
immediately close up to 24 hours after the injury.[4] Using clean non-sterile gloves is equivalent to using sterile gloves during wound closure.[5]

If closure of a wound is decided upon a number of techniques can be used. These include bandages, a cyanoacrylate glue, staples, and sutures. Absorbable sutures have the
benefit over non absorbable sutures of not requiring removal. They are often preferred in children.[6] Buffering the pH of lidocaine makes the injection less painful.[7]

Adhesive glue and sutures have comparable cosmetic outcomes for minor lacerations <5 cm in adults and children.[8] The use of adhesive glue involves considerably less time for
the doctor and less pain for the person. The wound opens at a slightly higher rate but there is less redness.[9] The risk for infections (1.1%) is the same for both. Adhesive glue
should not be used in areas of high tension or repetitive movements, such as joints or the posterior trunk.[8]

Dressings
In the case of clean surgical wounds, there is no evidence that the use of topical antibiotics reduces infection rates in comparison with non-antibiotic ointment or no ointment at
all.[10] Antibiotic ointments can irritate the skin, slow healing, and greatly increase the risk of developing contact dermatitis and antibiotic resistance.[10] Because of this, they
should only be used when a person shows signs of infection and not as a preventative.[10]

The effectiveness of dressings and creams containing silver to prevent infection or improve healing is not currently supported by evidence.[11]

Alternative medicine
There is moderate evidence that honey is more effective than antiseptic followed by gauze for healing wounds infected after surgical operations. There is a lack of quality
evidence relating to the use of honey on other types of wounds, such as minor acute wounds, mixed acute and chronic wounds, pressure ulcers, Fournier's gangrene, venous leg
ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers and Leishmaniasis.[12]

There is no good evidence that therapeutic touch is useful in healing.[13] More than 400 species of plants are identified as potentially useful for wound healing.[14] Only three
randomized controlled trials, however, have been done for the treatment of burns.[15]

An electroactive material developed by NASA has been found beneficial as a wound dressing. It uses electrical activity (generated by body heat and the pressure of cell growth)
to facilitate the wound healing process while protecting the wound. The bandage is fabricated from polyvinylidene fluoride, or PVDF, a thermoplastic fluoropolymer that is
highly piezoelectric when poled.[16]

Complications
Bacterial infection of wound can impede the healing process and lead to life-threatening complications. Scientists at Sheffield
University have used light to rapidly detect the presence of bacteria, by developing a portable kit in which specially designed
molecules emit a light signal when bound to bacteria. Current laboratory-based detection of bacteria can take hours or days.[17]

Workup
Wounds that are not healing should be investigated to find the causes; many microbiological agents may be responsible. The basic
workup includes evaluating the wound, its extent and severity. Cultures are usually obtained both from the wound site and blood. X-
rays are obtained and a tetanus shot may be administered if there is any doubt about prior vaccination.[18]

Chronic
Non-healing wounds of the diabetic foot are considered one of the most significant complications of diabetes, representing a major
worldwide medical, social, and economic burden that greatly affects patient quality of life. Almost 24 million Americansone in
every 12are diabetic and the disease is causing widespread disability and death at an epidemic pace, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. Of those with diabetes, 6.5 million are estimated to suffer with chronic or non-healing wounds.
Associated with inadequate circulation, poorly functioning veins, and immobility, non-healing wounds occur most frequently in the
The patient has a deep wound at
elderly and in people with diabetespopulations that are sharply rising as the nation ages and chronic diseases increase.
the knee, and radiography is used to
ensure there are no hidden bone
Although diabetes can ravage the body in many ways, non-healing ulcers on the feet and lower legs are common outward
fractures.
manifestations of the disease. Also, diabetics often suffer from nerve damage in their feet and legs, allowing small wounds or
irritations to develop without awareness. Given the abnormalities of the microvasculature and other side effects of diabetes, these
wounds take a long time to heal and require a specialized treatment approach for proper healing.

As many as 25% of diabetic patients will eventually develop foot ulcers, and recurrence within five years is 70%. If not aggressively treated, these wounds can lead to
amputations. It is estimated that every 30 seconds a lower limb is amputated somewhere in the world because of a diabetic wound. Amputation often triggers a downward spiral
of declining quality of life, frequently leading to disability and death. In fact, only about one third of diabetic amputees will live more than five years, a survival rate equivalent to
that of many cancers.

Many of these lower extremity amputations can be prevented through an interdisciplinary approach to treatment involving a variety of advanced therapies and techniques, such
as debridement, hyperbaric oxygen treatment therapy, dressing selection, special shoes, and patient education. When wounds persist, a specialized approach is required for
healing.[19]

History
From the Classical Period to the Medieval Period, the body and the soul were believed to be intimately connected, based on several
theories put forth by the philosopher Plato. Wounds on the body were believed to correlate with wounds to the soul and vice versa;
wounds were seen as an outward sign of an inward illness. Thus, a man who was wounded physically in a serious way was said to be
hindered not only physically but spiritually as well. If the soul was wounded, that wound may also eventually become physically
manifest, revealing the true state of the soul.[20] Wounds were also seen as writing on the "tablet" of the body. Wounds acquired in
war, for example, told the story of a soldier in a form which all could see and understand, and the wounds of a martyr told the story
of their faith.[20]

Research
In humans and mice it has been shown that estrogen might affect the speed and quality of wound healing.[21]

See also
European Wound Management Association
International Red Cross Wound Classification System Medieval treatment of wound with
Journal of Burns and Wounds lance grittings
Wound bed preparation

References
1. Thomas, A.C.; Wysocki, A.B. (February 1990). "The healing wound: a comparison
of three clinically useful methods of measurement". Decubitus. 3 (1): 1820, 245.
PMID 2322408 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2322408).
2. Fernandez R., Griffiths R. (15 February 2012). "Water for wound cleansing".
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2: CD003861. PMID 22336796 (http
s://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22336796).
doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003861.pub3 (https://doi.org/10.1002%2F14651858.CD
003861.pub3).
3. Simple wound management (http://www.patient.info/doctor/Simple-Wound-Manag
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 4. Eliya-Masamba, Martha C.; Banda, Grace W. (2013-10-22). "Primary closure
versus delayed closure for non bite traumatic wounds within 24 hours post injury".
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (10): CD008574. ISSN 1469-
493X (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1469-493X). PMID 24146332 (https://www.nc
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5. Brewer, JD; Gonzalez, AB; Baum, CL; Arpey, CJ; Roenigk, RK; Otley, CC; Erwin,
PJ (1 September 2016). "Comparison of Sterile vs Nonsterile Gloves in
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7. Cepeda M.S., Tzortzopoulou A., Thackrey M., Hudcova J., Arora Gandhi P.,
Schumann R. (2010). Tzortzopoulou, Aikaterini, ed. "Adjusting the pH of lidocaine
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Patients Should Question" (http://www.choosingwisely.org/doctor-patient-lists/ame
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External links
US based wound healing society (http://www.woundheal.org)
Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (http://www.aawconline.org) AAWC
European Wound Management Association (http://www.ewma.org) - EWMA works to promote the advancement of education and research.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wound&oldid=803096910"
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