Chennai Tissue Debridement

See also Video on Management of Compound Wounds

TISSUE DEBRIDEMENT

This is the most essential step in the management of the contaminated or dirty wound.

Thoroughly wash the wound with copious amounts of normal saline under pressure using either a large syringe , rubber bulb or a pulsatile lavage system.
Remove large particles of dirt with a toothed forceps.
Sharply excise [ using a No. 10 blade scalpel or sharp scissors] all slough, devitalised tissues and grossly contaminated tissues.
Wash again.

EXCISION OF LESION

Instruments
Marking ink
No. 15 blade scalpel
2 skin hooks
Fine non-toothed forceps
Needle holder
Suture cutting scissors

Simple Excision

Prepare area.
Outline ellipse with suitable marking material.
Place slight tension on the surrounding skin.
Cut through' skin at right angles to the surface with a No.15 blade knife.
Complete skin incision , use skin hooks to hold skin edges and excise lesion.
Undermine [if necessary] the skin edges with a single sweep of the blade, while holding it with skin hooks.
Suture wound.

Shivaram Bharadhwaj

Click here for PREVIOUS PAGE