Traumatic Injuries

What are traumatic injuries?

Traumatic injuries, or wounds, are usually defined as cuts, lacerations, or puncture wounds which caused damage to the skin and underlying tissues and need treatment promptly. Acute wounds, cut wounds, and penetrating wounds make up the three categories of traumatic wounds. An acute wound applies to ripped or torn skin and usually contains foreign bodies including glass, metal, gravel, or sand. A traumatic cut occurs when something sharp penetrates the skin and the underlying tissues. Penetrating wounds, however, are considered the deepest and most severe since they frequently occur as a stabbing or a gunshot wound.

What causes a traumatic injury?

Traumatic wounds can be caused by:

• Abrasions from scraping the skin, these will typically contain some form of debris including gravel or glass.
• Incisions or punctures, which are typically caused by knives.
• Trauma due to a force which is most commonly related to auto accidents.
• Gunshot and bullet wounds, which can cause both exit and entry wounds.
• Animal bites which pierce the skin and underlying tissues.

What is the treatment?

Since traumatic wounds can vary in severity and cause, treatment can also vary ranging from a simple cleaning and dressing or surgical intervention to close the wound. General treatment processes for traumatic wounds may include the following:

• Laceration: The cut is cleaned using sterile saline solution and debris is extracted from the wound. An antibiotic ointment is applied to prevent infection and then a sterile dressing is used.
• Penetration wound: Often repaired in the operating room under general anesthesia. The wound is then closed with stitches and covered with a bandage.
• Abrasions: The wound is cleaned with a sterile gauze pad soaked in a saline solution to remove any debris. It is then bandaged and allowed to scab over. In nearly all instances of a traumatic injury, patients are provided with a tetanus shot to minimize the risk of tetanus infection.