First-Aid, Assessment, and Treatment of Acute Wounds

After attending to the patient’s airway, breathing, and circulation [ABC of Emergency First Aid Measures], the first aid for wounds is mostly a matter of elevating the bleeding part, applying focal pressure to stop the bleeding, and otherwise resting the patient as flat as possible. The history and mechanism of injury supplies information necessary to evaluate the full extent of injury and the expected reaction to it. A detailed assessment of circulatory status of injured tissue in conjunction with an accurate anatomical diagnosis is then necessary to arrive at the most appropriate primary treatment. After anaesthesia, meticulous cleansing and haemostasis, accurate repositioning of displaced tissues is often safer for the circulation than a standard sutured closure. Where areas of skin are dislodged or flaps are non-viable, replacement of the skin as a graft can provide it with a second chance to achieve primary healing.