Page 9 - Emergency medicine for students ebook

Staples:
• Quick and easy, suitable for scalp wounds. Staple removers required for
removal
Sutures:
• Most common for primary closure.
• If wound 5cm or bigger, or <5cm but subjection to tension (ie flexion) or
getting wet
• Oppose skin with slight eversion of skin edges and suture shut with non
absorbable inert monofilament with curved cutting needles
Diagram of wound closure techniques https://www.fairview.org/patient-education/116841EN
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wound closures:
- Primary closure: surgical closure soon after injury
- Secondary closure: No intervention- heals by granulation
- Delayed primary closure: surgical closure 3-5 days after injury
References:
Nice guidelines on lacerations:
https://cks.nice.org.uk/lacerations#!scenario
More detailed info on types of lacerations:
https://www.rch.org.au/clinicalguide/guideline_index/Lacerations/
9