wound

(woond)

To hear audio pronunciation of this topic, purchase a subscription or log in.

Injury or damage to body structures caused by violence, trauma, or surgery. In treating a wound that was not made surgically, prophylaxis against tetanus must be considered. The patient, if not previously immunized, should be given tetanus immune globulin.

PATIENT CARE
Successful wound assessment includes the location of the wound, its size, depth, undermining, drainage, edges, base, and surrounding tissues. An assessment should be made for any redness, swelling, tenderness, and gangrene/necrosis. The assessment includes the patient's vital signs and measures taken to improve the healing. There are many diagnostic tools (such as radiography) to determine the extent of the injury.

There's more to see -- the rest of this topic is available only to subscribers.