A 45-year-old construction worker presents to the emergency department after his hand got caught and pulled by a rotating machine, resulting in a severe degloving injury. The skin and soft tissues are extensively peeled back from the underlying muscles. In managing this wound, what is the most appropriate initial intervention?
Apply a tourniquet above the site of the injury to minimize blood loss.
Clean the wound aggressively with iodine and cover with a dry bandage.
Cover the injury with a clean, moist sterile dressing and elevate the extremity.
Immediately suture the degloved skin back to its original position.
The correct answer is 'Cover the injury with a clean, moist sterile dressing and elevate the extremity.' This approach helps to protect the wound from further contamination and desiccation. Moist dressings support the viability of any remaining tissue and potentially aid in the reattachment efforts. Elevation helps reduce swelling and decrease pain. Immediate suturing is inappropriate without thorough cleaning and assessment by a specialist, and using antiseptics directly can cause tissue damage and impair wound healing. Applying a tourniquet is incorrect unless there's life-threatening hemorrhage, which was not indicated in the scenario.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What are degloving injuries and how do they differ from other types of wounds?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
Why is it important to cover a degloved injury with a moist sterile dressing?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
What should be done if there is significant bleeding with a degloving injury?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
BCEN CEN
Musculoskeletal and Wound Emergencies
Your Score:
Report Issue
Bash, the Crucial Exams Chat Bot
AI Bot
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Nursing and Medical Assistants Package Join Premium for Full Access