Traumatic injuries: office treatment of lacerations

Every laceration should be explored to its depth to locate foreign bodies and damage to tissues. Debridement should be thorough except on the face, where conservation of skin is important. Deep lacerations are closed in layers, using different sutures for each layer; if tissue has been lost, plastic tecnhiques of closure are necessary. Lacerations that are carefully repaired rarely become infected, and tetanus prophylaxis is the only required safeguard against infection.