Cleansing

The thorough cleansing of wounds is a mechanical process. Dirt is best syringed or washed out with saline, picked out, and/or excised with a layer of tissue. Potentially dead or severely damaged non-specific tissue, as well as discoloured grimy tissue, is often best excised to prevent it from becoming a focus for discharge or infection. The use of anything other than saline solutions within wounds is unhelpful as other agents can potentially damage cells.