How does a lacerated wound heal? Treatment of various types of open wounds on the leg, their features, how to avoid unwanted complications

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Violation of the integrity of the skin and mucous membranes, which is formed under the action of a rupture when the skin’s ability to tension stops - this is called a laceration.

Such a lesion occurs with damage to muscles, blood vessels, nerve fibers and is accompanied. The boundaries of the wound are uneven, sometimes significant skin detachment and scalping are noticeable. In this case, only surgical treatment, but in any situation it is definitely necessary to provide first aid as soon as possible.

What is a laceration

Violation of the integrity of the skin occurs at an acute angle; as a result of a blow with a heavy object, areas of exfoliated skin are formed. This type of damage is characterized by shallow depth and ragged edges. The resulting wound does not gape, but the detached skin flap often has large area, its complete separation is possible.

Causes of lacerations:

Blood flows out of such an injury to a lesser extent than, for example, with cut wounds, but they are more polluted, since falls often occur on gravel and asphalt.

If hair gets caught in moving mechanisms as a result of a laceration, scalping of the scalp occurs with partial or complete tearing of the skin.

Scalping of arms or legs occurs during an accident if a limb falls under the wheels of a vehicle.

Most often, such injuries occur among motorcyclists, cyclists, summer residents, fishermen or hunters.

Symptoms

The degree of damage caused directly affects how severe the symptoms are. Very often, the damaged area becomes infected, as dirt, fabric from clothing, glass fragments, small pebbles, and sand get into the wound.

Immediately after receiving a laceration, a person feels sharp pain. In some cases, the scalped piece hangs from the surface, and complete or partial detachment of individual lesions occurs.

Symptoms of a laceration injury:

The boundaries of the lesion are irregular, patchy, crushed;
At the bottom of the wound, a fatty layer is noticeable, a little less often muscle fibers or tendons;
Subcutaneous hematomas are formed;
Sensitivity is lost around the damaged area.

IN in rare cases these wounds are combined with other types of injuries, such as fractures of the arms, legs, spine, traumatic brain injuries, fractures of the pelvic bones, and rupture of internal organs.

First aid for lacerations

To help a victim with lacerations, you need to follow a few basic steps, just like with other injuries.

Stop bleeding

The victim needs to wait until the emergency medical team arrives. To do this, it is necessary to determine the amount of blood loss and the type of bleeding.

If the blood does not flow out of the wound much, it is enough to press the vessel with your fingers.

In case of massive bleeding and in cases where the exact location of the laceration cannot be determined, it is necessary to apply a tourniquet or a tight pressure bandage.

If there is no medical tourniquet nearby, you need to stop the nearest car and use car first aid kit. You can also use thick fabric, a scarf, a belt, or a scarf for twisting.

Keep the tourniquet on the damaged area in the summer for no more than 2 hours, in winter time no more than 1.5 hours.

Treatment of a laceration

While at home as part of the treatment of a laceration, it is necessary to exclude further infection - the damaged area should be treated with any antiseptic. It is best to use 3% hydrogen peroxide for this; it creates abundant foam on the surface, which helps remove dirty elements.

After treatment with peroxide, the wound must be dried with a sterile gauze swab and the edges of the injury must be treated, including healthy areas of skin.

You can treat the edges of the injury using any alcohol solution: brilliant green, iodine solution, alcohol or vodka.

Dressing

The next step is to bandage the damaged area to maintain sterility after treatment.

Small damage is isolated using a sterile napkin and adhesive tape. Major injuries should be bandaged with sterile material or a clean cloth.

Treatment of lacerations

An injured person should be quickly taken to a hospital, where he will receive qualified care.

First aid for a laceration in an outpatient setting:

Small injuries are treated on an outpatient basis;
The surface is washed abundantly with antiseptics, non-viable edges are swollen, drained or sutures are applied;

With a successful outcome suture material removed on day 10;
If the wound is infected, it is washed, if necessary, opened and expanded, freed from purulent contents, non-viable tissue is removed, and drainage is applied without sutures.

Victims who have extensive lacerations are subject to hospitalization in traumatology. Most likely, such patients experience traumatic shock, they need urgent anti-shock measures. The earlier the measures are taken, the more favorable the prognosis.

In the intensive care unit, the condition of the victim, the nature of the injury, and the severity of the injury are taken into account. The patient is given active pain relief, all measures are used to restore blood circulation, cardiac activity, and breathing.

Qualified doctors for serious laceration injuries:

During the healing and epithelization phase, patients are given restorative treatment, dressings are carefully made using antibacterial drugs, which further enhance tissue regeneration.

If the injured area is very extensive and a large skin defect is observed, free skin grafting or grafting with a displaced flap is performed.

Drugs and antibiotics for lacerations

Eliminate the possibility of the wound transitioning into purulent stage and warn various complications possible with antibiotics.

In order to prevent complications of injury, specialists may prescribe the following groups antibiotics for lacerations:

Antibiotics penicillin series– Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Benzylpenicillin, Ampiox, Oxacillin;
If the pathogen is resistant to penicillin, cephalosporins are prescribed - Cephamizin, Cephalexin, Cefazolin;
Macrolides are used if the pathogen is resistant to both penicillin and cephalosporins. These are drugs such as Erythromycin, Macropen, Spiramycin, Roxithromycin;
In some cases, a tetracycline series of drugs is prescribed - Minocycline, Tetracycline.

Most often in the absence allergic reactions Antibiotics from the penicillin series are prescribed; their use causes the least harm to the body.

Consequences of injuries and healing time

After healing, lacerations leave large blemishes on the skin. To prevent this, skin grafting is done immediately after first aid and cleansing the wound.

Skin grafting methods:

The operation is performed on extensive wounds with a clean bottom and beginning healing. The graft is taken from the front of the thigh or from the abdominal area. The flap is applied to the wound, straightened on the surface, and sewn along the border. Then it is superimposed pressure bandage to press the flap. Healing takes place within 2 weeks;
The method of displaced skin flap is used for granulating lacerations after infection is eliminated, the wound bed is cleared of necrosis, and microcirculation and blood flow are restored.

The essence of the displaced skin flap method is that the skin defect is replaced with a piece of skin from neighboring areas.

Before the operation, the surgeon draws up a movement plan, depending on the shape of the damaged surface. Most often, counter pieces are used in the form of rhombuses or triangles. The graft takes root within 10 days.

Ointment for the treatment of lacerations
(a drug with a powerful regenerative effect )

Stellanin - quickly cleanses the wound
Significantly speeds up healing

Treatment of lacerations is always difficult medical problem. The walls of such wounds are uneven, the edges of the wound are separated and far apart. Almost every laceration deadlines Treatments are delayed, and this is fraught with many complications.

For treatment, it is necessary to use drugs with powerful antimicrobial and regenerative effects in order to prevent infection and suppuration from developing.

So what to do if:
a) The laceration was received recently.
b) The wound was received several days ago, but healing is not happening, suppuration has begun.

a) The laceration was received recently

Stop the bleeding, treat the wound with a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide, lubricate the edges of the wound with iodine (or alcohol). If possible, see a doctor for surgical treatment of the wound.
If this is not possible, then all measures must be taken to ensure that the wound does not fester and the inflammation does not spread to the adjacent tissues.

For treatment of lacerations applies Stellanin ointment, developed jointly with scientists from the Institute of Surgery. Vishnevsky (Moscow) and the Russian Academy of Sciences for the treatment of skin and soft tissue wounds inespecially difficult cases.

Along with a pronounced antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect, Stellanin ointment is currently the only drug with DIRECT stimulation regeneration processes.

b) The lacerated wound was received several days ago and it began to fester

If possible, consult a doctor, he will conduct surgical treatment wounds. If this is not possible, then getting rid of a purulent wound recommended Stellanin-PEG ointment.

Thanks to the hydrophilic excipient(polyethylene glycol), which is part of Stellanin-PEG ointment, the wound quickly cleared of purulent contents. At the same time they are eliminated pathogenic microorganisms, inflammation is blocked, regeneration is stimulated.

Note #1:When treated with Stellanin-PEG ointmentextensive lacerationsrapid drying of the wound occurs, which affects the affected nerve endings. To get rid of possible pain, it is recommended to treat the wound with lidocaine solution before applying the ointment. Open the ampoule and moisten the surface of the wound, allow the drug to be absorbed and then apply Stellanin-PEG ointment.

Note #2: At the final stage of treatment (when the wound is cleared of pus and inflammation is eliminated)use Stellanin 3% ointment. Vaseline, which is part of the ointment, softens the newly formed skin, and the active pharmaceutical substancestimulates the restoration of affected tissues.

Stellanin is a drug with a powerful regenerative effect

First of all, Stellanin has the widest antimicrobial spectrum actions - it is active against bacteria, fungi and viruses. Stellanin can be prescribed for any infection and be confident in the effectiveness of the treatment, because its action extends to gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, anaerobes, fungi, viruses, “atypical” bacteria, and protozoa.

What is especially important is that all pathogens of wound infections do not have to Stellanine neither natural nor acquired resistance.

And most importantly, we succeededovercome processes that inhibit cell divisionV big wound. Stellanin directly activates regeneration(both by stimulating the expression of genes for vascular growth factors VEGF-A and VEGF-B, and repeated activation of mitochondrial functions, which leads to an increase in the energy supply of cells and tissues).

High efficiency The drug was confirmed by leading Russian scientists:

"Already on the first day treatment of wounds with Stellanin-PEG ointment, positive dynamics in the healing process are noted, inflammation decreases... Young cells with a high level of metabolic processes". From the Report approved by the Director of the Institute of Surgery named after. A.V. Vishnevsky academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences N V.D. Fedorov.

Conducted at the Research Institute of Surgery named after. A.V. Vishnevsky's studies showed that during treatment purulent wounds Stellanin-PEG ointment2.4 times faster capillary sprouting, increases by 7.5 times the number of fibroblasts in the wound - the main cells involved in the restoration of damaged skin.

Based on the totality of properties, today Stellanin-containing ointments have become the best drugs for the treatment of complex wounds, as evidenced by high level their clinical effectiveness.

Reviews about the treatment of wounds with Stellanin

– Hello, thank you very much. The treatment is almost complete (a small scab remains on the wound). The wound did not heal for a long time, it was about 6 cm long and 1 cm wide. Now everything is almost overgrown, a huge THANKS to the developers of ointments (I used two: Stellanin and Stellanin-PEG). Stellanina took 1.5 tubes, and St. Peg - half. Best regards and best wishes O.L.

Oleg Leonidovich B. (St. Petersburg)

Effects of the drug STELLANIN ® :

BLOCKS INFLAMMATION – prevents the synthesis of inflammatory mediators - prostaglandins. As a result of a decrease in the level of these mediators, the inflammatory process, is eliminated pain and swelling.
RESTORES BLOOD SUPPLY TO AFFECTED TISSUE – Stellanin activates vascular growth factors vegf-A and vegf-B (rapidly restores damaged blood vessels in the wound).
STIMULATES SKIN REGENERATION – C tellanin repeatedly activates mitochondrial function and increases their size. This mechanism determines the direct influence of Stellanin onwound healing,regeneration of healthy skin.
HAS HIGH ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY V regarding gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms.

A laceration on the leg or other parts of the body is a fairly common type of injury that requires immediate medical attention and surgical treatment.

Causes of damage

Mechanical damage to skin tissue under the influence of a blunt hard object is defined as medical terminology, How laceration. Typical signs this phenomenon uneven edges appear, severe bleeding, disruption of the integrity of muscle tissue, nerves, and blood vessels, causing intense pain.

The depth, size and shape of the injured area of the musculocutaneous layer largely depends on the type of object and the force of the blow. Risk factors that can provoke the appearance of a defect are:

violation of industrial safety regulations;
domestic injuries;
car emergencies;
falling from a height;
animal bites;
criminal incidents.

The prevailing amount of injuries occurs to people who engage in extreme sports, hunting, and fishing. Children are also at risk younger age. Any improper handling of specialized equipment or equipment can lead to damage to soft tissues and skin.

Symptoms

The severity of symptoms when a wound with torn edges occurs is determined by the strength and form of the influencing factors. Quite often observed accompanying pathologies in the form of severe fractures of the human skeleton. Depending on the area of damage, the following areas may be affected: chest, skull, limb bones, spine. Localized exposure can lead to injury and rupture of internal organs.

Lacerations have characteristic features and are accompanied by pronounced symptoms:

intense pain;
infection of the damaged area;
asymmetrical shape of the edge of the damaged area;
detachment of skin tissue;
bruises, hematomas;
heavy bleeding;
dizziness, fainting;
development of signs of traumatic shock;
apathy, anxiety.

One of the types of lacerations is head trauma. Due to strong blow scalping of the skin occurs in the hair growth area. Injury is accompanied by pain, bleeding and disturbances in the psychological state.

Diagnostics

Therapeutic measures cover full complex restorative and therapeutic actions, taking into account what kind of wound was inflicted, the degree of damage:

Anamnesis. Doctor in mandatory determines the type of object, the statute of limitations of the injury and the scope of emergency measures taken.
Objective examination. The condition of soft tissues and mucous membranes in the area of traumatic impact is assessed. Indicators are determined blood pressure, condition of the great vessels. If necessary, urgent resuscitation treatment is performed.
Laboratory tests. Before you start surgical intervention standard laboratory research is required. Running: general and biochemical analysis blood (blood type, glucose level, Rh factor are determined), analysis for HIV, AIDS, RW, hepatitis markers, urine analysis.
Instrumental examination: radiography, fluorography, electrocardiogram. In some cases, the doctor may need to conduct a computer or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan to determine the prescription and find out how to treat the victim.

In the case of the development of pathogenic microflora, a pronounced reaction of the body is observed. Increased inflammation in the affected area is accompanied by necrosis and swelling of the tissues surrounding the wound. An increase in temperature and pain level is also possible.

Medical emergencies

An incised wound requires immediate response, first aid and treatment. Timely measures taken correct actions will help avoid complications and the development of infection.

A lacerated wound, like other types of injuries, should be treated in a certain sequence:

Minimize blood loss. First of all, you will need to take measures to stop the bleeding, then determine the amount of loss. The process can be stopped by clamping the artery in the area of injury. The use of a tourniquet or finger pressure depends on the extent of the lesion. In case of massive blood loss and the absence of a tourniquet, any dense fabric or available items (scarf, belt) are used. There are certain rules for applying a bandage to stop blood loss. In summer, the tourniquet can be performed for no more than 2 hours, in winter - for no more than 1.5 hours.
Disinfection measures. The wound must be treated disinfectants. Hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointments and solutions will help prevent infection. Pain can be eliminated using painkillers. Most effective reach injections directly into the wound.
Applying a bandage. Last stage emergency pre-medical care to ensure sterility of the injury area. After treating a laceration, if there are small areas of injury, you can isolate the wound using a bandage. In case of severe damage, a sterile bandage or piece of gauze will be required.

Therapeutic measures

Treatment of lacerations in medicine is conventionally divided into two fundamental techniques, which are based on general condition the victim and the degree of damage:

Conservative (traditional) treatment. Small areas of traumatic lesions do not require surgical intervention. The patient must strictly adhere to the doctor's prescription. At the trauma center, the wound is treated and, if necessary, drainage and suturing are installed. Recovery period it will go faster, if you do regular events for seam care.
Surgical technique. Extensive lesions require immediate surgical intervention. In case of traumatization of internal organs or large areas of soft tissue, primary treatment is initially performed. Surgical treatment impossible with in a state of shock the patient, therefore, first the patient is brought out of the crisis. The wound heals quickly enough only when created the right conditions, complete care and antibiotic therapy.

It should be remembered that facial injuries, lip wounds, can have irreversible consequences. It is important to handle traumatic household appliances and tools with special care. To avoid the risk of complications and life-threatening consequences, if you have a laceration, you should immediately seek medical help.

Skin is a protective shell human body. A wound is a damage to the skin, that is, a defect in the protective shell. No person is immune from this type of injury. Therefore, it is important to know how to provide first aid if there is a wound and what measures should be taken in order to avoid consequences.

Causes and consequences of open wounds

Due to mechanical impact on the skin sharp objects there is a high probability of an open wound. An open wound is unsafe in any form and can lead to disastrous consequences if the problem is not localized in time. You can get injured in living conditions, at work, during an accident or walk. The cause of injury is impact on the skin with a knife, splinter, paper or rupture of the skin during open fracture.

There is no definite data on who has greater risk get injured, as you can cut yourself small child, and an adult.

The wounds are different from each other, but when improper care even small wound leads to unpleasant consequences. First of all, this is severe blood loss, blood poisoning, the risk that an internal organ is damaged, a state of shock in the victim, as well as the development of anemia as a result of bleeding.

This is dangerous for human life and requires medical intervention.

Symptoms and types of open wounds

The symptoms of injury depend primarily on the type of injury. Small scratches that barely touch the mucous area do not cause concern to people; they heal quickly without the help of specialists, often without even leaving a trace of themselves after some time. But there are types of wounds that require increased attention.

Signs of injury are:

presence of bleeding;
pain;
mechanical type of damage to the skin layer;
lack of proper functioning of the limbs;
defects in skin layers.

Wounds are divided into cut, puncture and lacerations. The wounds that will be received surgically, will be called surgical injuries. Each has characteristic signs that will help you choose the method of treatment and therapy.

An incised wound is characterized by smooth edges. Just like with other open wounds, bleeding is observed during a cut. It can be severe or moderate depending on the location of the injury.

A lacerated wound is marked by jagged edges. For a puncture wound, the depth rather than the width of the wound is more important, since this type is obtained with an awl, rod or other long object with a sharp edge.

The degree of injury is determined by the depth and width of the wound, as well as the presence of damage not only to the skin. Often muscles, tendons or important internal organs are affected.

Despite the fact that at first glance the wound seems harmless, the victim may experience severe blood loss, or an infection may enter the wound, which will complicate the treatment procedure. Therefore, first of all, measures should be taken to reduce the risk of complications.

First aid

An important step in treating an open wound is providing first aid to the victim. If no one is nearby, you can provide first aid to yourself. Process open wound necessary in order to eliminate or reduce the risk of infection, as well as reduce the unpleasant symptoms that occur when injured. You need to know how to properly treat a wound area.

One of the main points of first aid is to clean the wound from foreign bodies. This is required when the damaged area contains fragments, bullets or parts of a traumatic object. This should only be done with clean hands or using treated tweezers.

You can treat tweezers and hands with an alcohol-containing solution, but if this is not available, it is enough to wash your hands well with soap. After foreign objects have been removed, the wound itself should be washed. You only need to rinse clean water. After washing, treatment with a disinfectant composition will be required.

Mainly used for these purposes are: hydrogen peroxide, miramistin, brilliant green, iodine. It is important to consider that iodine and brilliant green are allowed to treat the edges of the wound in order to reduce the risk of infection. Their penetration into the damage itself must be excluded, since they greatly dry the skin and do not allow it to fully receive air for speedy healing.

Once the wound has been treated, the next step is to apply a bandage. The bandage should not be applied to an open wound without using a bandage, since when the bandage is removed, the bandage will stick to the damaged area, and its removal will cause a lot of inconvenience.

In the case of an open fracture, if bone fragments are observed from the open wound, you should not try to set them yourself, just cover them with a treated napkin or apply a disinfected cloth and go to a specialist.

If necessary, apply a tourniquet above the wound to stop heavy bleeding, is used for the same purposes cold compress. The tourniquet should not constrict the blood flow too much. If there is bleeding from a vein, a tourniquet is applied below the injury.

It is necessary to minimize the risk of infection entering the blood, and also to prevent severe blood loss.

After providing first aid, you must consult a doctor.

Treatment of open damage

Depending on the type of wound, the doctor prescribes appropriate treatment. The wound may be weeping or purulent. First of all, the doctor directs the patient to undergo certain tests. If there is an infection in the body, the treatment will be different. The use of antibiotics is mandatory, since injury makes the human body vulnerable to microbes.

Treatment of open wounds generally requires surgery, but this depends on the extent of the damage. In order to avoid the development of infection, surgeons recommend getting a tetanus vaccination, after which, if there are flaps of skin on the damaged area, they are removed, and the wound is sutured if necessary.

This need arises if the wound does not heal on its own within short term, it is deep or has too much width. In this case, vaccination is necessary, so you should not refuse it.

If the victim is diagnosed with an open, weeping wound, the doctor’s task is to reduce the amount of discharge. Discharge from the wound promotes healing, but due to its large amount, blood circulation in the vessels worsens. To treat this type of injury, it is necessary to treat the damaged area and change sterile dressings every 5 hours.

In order to facilitate the removal of bandages, a furatsilin solution is used. After the old bandage is removed, you need to treat the defective area with a liquid antiseptic. Another way to treat a weeping wound is to use specialized ointments. For example, Streptocidal ointment or Fuzidin are suitable. In this case, the ointment is applied along with a bandage or a tampon soaked in it is used and the wound is treated at a certain time.

Therapy of a purulent wound

The situation is more complicated with the treatment of a purulent wound. The presence of pus in the injured area indicates that the wound has become infected. Each time you treat a damaged area, you must remove purulent accumulations. In more extensive cases, doctors will install a drain to continually drain the pus.

Such an injury is treated once a day, using special powders that will help stop the infection from developing further. Trypsin and Himopsin powders are diluted with novocaine, and the bandages are moistened with this solution. Wipes soaked with this mixture are placed directly into the open wound. If the injury is too extensive, medicinal powders pour into the wound without using napkins.

For each case of a purulent wound, doctors use certain type therapy and medicines, which are suitable in an individual case. For example, it is believed that Vishnevsky ointment helps with a purulent wound if the wound has an identified Staphylococcus aureus, then Baneocin ointment is often used.

If there are no exact indications for its use, then Dioxidin ointment is used. It is considered universal both in the treatment of simple purulent wounds and in the case of complicated wounds in the presence of infection. It is also possible to use Levomikol or Levosin.

To speed up the healing process, specialists sometimes use nitrogen and ultrasonic waves.

Traditional methods of therapy

In the absence of complications, large size or depth of injury, as well as in the absence of signs of infection, you can use folk recipes, in order to help the wound heal faster.

If there is a dry, shallow wound suitable remedy, prepared from equal proportions of aloe juice, rosehip oil and sea buckthorn oil. You can also use freshly cut aloe leaf. To do this, you need to cut the sheet lengthwise and apply it to the wound. This method helps get rid of pus.

You can wash the injured area with willow bark or a decoction of plantain and St. John's wort.

Sometimes a decoction of chamomile, calamus, eucalyptus leaves, calendula and yarrow is used. To do this, you need to collect all the necessary components, pour boiling water over them, then let it brew, and you can wash the wound with it.

You should not use the products without the advice of a specialist; you also need to monitor your health and if rashes or other body reactions appear, you should abandon the chosen method. You should not treat a serious defect without contacting a specialist.

It is important to remember that any serious injury requires timely provision of qualified assistance.

To do this, if there is a suspicion of serious injury, infection or increased risk For the health or life of a person, you should contact surgeons.

Rehabilitation

Most often, rehabilitation is not required after treatment. It is only necessary if the doctor establishes certain prohibitions. First of all, this applies to those wounds that are located on the extremities. After therapy, you should not lift anything too heavy, as this may cause re-rupture of the fragile and unrepaired tissues.

The regeneration period is different for each person and takes a different amount of time. During this period, it is better to avoid going to bodies of water and working in places with dust and dirt. These rules should be followed until the injured skin area is completely healed.

At the same time, we must not forget about regular visits to the surgeon to monitor the healing process and obtain necessary recommendations. Violation of safety regulations during the recovery period can have serious consequences.

In order to avoid injury, you need to carefully handle sharp, piercing, cutting objects. Including glass shards. Be sure to follow safety precautions at work where you can get this type of injury.

Even a seemingly small wound should not be ignored. If the integrity of the skin is compromised, this is a reason to consult a doctor. Self-medication in case of serious injuries is not worth it. At home, you also need to observe sterility and caution, even in relation to small defects.

Timely, competent first aid, as well as correctly prescribed treatment, is the key to a quick recovery and avoidance of complications. It’s rare that anyone manages to avoid getting injured, since it’s impossible to insure one hundred percent, so you should be careful, and if you get injured, you shouldn’t put off visiting a specialist.

Muscles human body, when integrity is violated, they are capable of self-recovery. If an open wound on the leg is treated in time to remove dead cells, new healthy tissue begins to grow in their place, gradually closing the wound opening.

The healing process of an open wound on the leg takes place in three stages:

Independent primary cleansing, in which blood flows abundantly into the wound cavity.
Inflammation that begins after injury provokes tissue swelling. Leukocytes are formed en masse, helping to cleanse the wound area of dead cells.
The final stage is characterized by the formation connective tissue, which gradually tightens the edges of the wound, forming a scar.

Classification of injury

Wounds on the leg are divided according to the following characteristics:

Violations of the tissue surface (penetrating and non-penetrating). The first are characterized by damage to the integrity of the joint shell; in the second case, the skin and subcutaneous muscles are susceptible to injury.
The presence of an infection of unknown, purulent, aseptic origin.
Changes in the wound cavity depend on the type of object that resulted in a violation of the integrity of the tissue.

Open wounds are:

Stab - the depth of penetration is greater than the diameter of the superficial wound.
Cut - characterized by a wide entrance, but shallow depth.
Chopped - characterized by a deep wound, often with bone damage.
Torn - obtained when the skin and muscle layer are torn. The wound surface is characterized by jagged edges, in places the epidermis is absent.
Firearms - degree of damage muscle tissue depends on the type of weapon.

First aid

If a laceration is received on the leg, it is advisable to take the victim to a doctor, having first provided first aid. From the right ones pre-medical actions depends on the speed of injury healing, prevention purulent inflammation wound cavity, sometimes even human life.

Instructions on how to treat an open wound at home:

If there is bleeding, then it is imperative to stop it. The injured leg should be elevated so that the foot is higher than the level of the head. If an artery is damaged, it is recommended to pinch the vessel with a finger and apply a tourniquet, recording the time of manipulation.
The wound on the leg should be disinfected using antiseptics: 3% hydrogen peroxide, furatsilin solution (1 tablet per 100 ml boiled water), a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate. You can crush the Streptocide tablet into powder and sprinkle it on the affected area. IN as a last resort you need to treat the wound with brilliant green or apply a thin layer of anti-inflammatory ointment to it.
The fragments of a foreign object present in the wound cavity must be removed with tweezers treated with alcohol. If the fragment is large and the wound is deep, it is better not to touch anything and leave assistance to a specialist.
Cover the injured surface with a sterile napkin and apply a tight bandage.
If a bone in the leg is broken, or a joint is damaged, it is necessary to ensure that the limb is immobile by applying a splint from available material.

How to properly bandage

It is recommended to change the bandage on your leg daily; to do this you need to:

Remove the dressing material. If the bandage sticks to the wound, soak the scab boiled water with the addition of any available antiseptic: furatsilin solution, hydrogen peroxide and others.
Wash the edges of the wound on the leg with warm boiled water, disinfect with brilliant green or alcohol solution calendula, chamomile, St. John's wort. If the surface is contaminated with auto-lubricating mixtures, it should be used for hygiene procedure refined gasoline. Treat with gauze balls. Iodine should not be used due to the high risk of burns.
Inspect the inflamed cavity for the presence of pus, fragments foreign objects. It is not recommended to remove large, deeply located fragments yourself. It is safer to contact medical institution to provide qualified assistance.
If purulent contents have formed on the surface, it is recommended to clean the wound gauze swabs, blotting each one only once.
If there is suppuration inside, cleaning should be entrusted to a surgeon in order to eliminate the consequences of inflammation, including blood poisoning and fatal outcome. Only a doctor who will make a prescription, combining medications for external and internal use, can know how to properly treat a purulent injury.
After cleansing, cover the wound surface with sterile material and secure with a gauze bandage.

In what cases is it necessary to visit a doctor?

The patient should be shown to a specialist if:

the integrity of blood vessels and tendons is compromised;
it is necessary to stitch up a deep wound;
puncture wound with infection;
damaged bone, damaged joint;
the leg does not perform functional movements;
the person is in shock.

If the wound surface is contaminated with soil, it is necessary to treat the leg with an antiseptic to prevent suppuration. You should definitely get a tetanus vaccination.

The formation of a purulent wound is accompanied by the following symptoms:

increased body temperature;
throbbing pain at the site of inflammation;
the occurrence of a tumor.

Treatment of an open wound on the leg must be carried out under the guidance of a doctor, strictly following all his prescriptions and recommendations. Sew deep cutting injury should be no later than six hours after the injury. If there is a suspicion that the wound is infected, stitches are not recommended. Zones high risk infection - the upper third of the thigh, the sole of the foot.

What to do at home to speed up the healing of an open wound on the leg:

daily dressing, each time treating the injured area with an antiseptic and applying a sterile napkin;
lubricate the treated area wound healing ointments, having first consulted with your doctor.

It should be remembered that fat-based medicinal ointments applied to the wound surface in a thick layer can cause inflammation and the formation of pus.

A type of open wound on the leg is considered trophic ulcers varicose veins lower limbs. Endocrine diseases provoke the formation of weeping injuries, diabetes mellitus. People suffering from these diseases should take special care.

Why do open wounds take a long time to heal?

As a rule, fast healing hindered by the following reasons:

high sugar content in tissues;
subcutaneous layer of fat;
decline vitality with anemia, iron deficiency;
skin diseases.

Traditional methods for treating and treating open leg injuries

It happens that in time to receive timely medical care fails. In this case, you can begin to treat the open wound using traditional recipes.

When choosing what to treat the wound surface with, it is recommended to use medicinal plants with a disinfecting effect. These include:

Water decoction or alcohol tincture calendula, birch buds, wormwood.
Leaflets indoor plants- aloe or kalanchoe. Remove the thin skin and apply the fleshy side to the wound, securing with a bandage or plaster.
Bee honey, smeared with it thin layer wound surface, place a sterile napkin on top and bandage it.
Yarrow greens should be chewed until smooth and applied to a cut or punctured shallow wound.
Treat the affected area with celandine juice.

The following folk remedies help speed up the treatment of a wounded limb:

Ointment made according to the recipe of Valentina Seimova. Apply a thin layer of ointment to the injured surface overnight. Do not apply a bandage.
St. John's wort. Fill a dark glass container ¾ full with dry or fresh flowering herb St. John's wort. Fill to the brim with refined sunflower oil, leave in warmth and darkness for three weeks. Apply the resulting mixture to the wound 3-4 times a day until healing.
White wormwood, coltsfoot, plantain, calendula. Make lotions on the wound surface using infusion of water.
Plantain leaves. Apply to the wound with the smooth side, securing with a gauze bandage.

The patient chooses how to treat an open wound on the leg, but it is advisable to consult a doctor before so as not to harm your health. During treatment, it is advisable to provide the diet with vitamins to speed up the healing process. It is recommended to take additional multivitamins.