- ICD-10 T14 -
A laceration usually occurs when the affected part of the body is struck abruptly by a hard, usually blunt object or edge. A laceration can bleed very heavily.
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First aid: The bleeding must be stopped. The affected area of the body should be elevated while a sterile compress or clean cloth is pressed firmly onto the laceration.
A real laceration often continues to bleed. Therefore, an emergency physician should be called in this case, especially if it is a head injury.
Tip: The emergency physician has several advantages over deciding to go to a hospital yourself. First, the wound and the patient are already professionally treated at the scene of the accident; second, the emergency physician can better decide whether to drive and to which hospital. Unfortunately, children with lacerations, for example, are often not admitted to every hospital, are not even treated first, and are then sent on to the nearest children's hospital.
Lacerations often gape; from a size of one centimeter, they should therefore be sutured if they are external. There are then usually two stitches for every one centimeter. There are special scar plasters (scar patches) that prevent the formation of bulging scar tissue and ensure a good skin climate.
Extra tip: Fresh lacerations in the mouth, for example the inside of the lower lip, are not treated in a hospital in Germany, but by a dentist or dental clinic or by an oral surgeon. Also, in this example, a small internal wound is not sutured immediately, but waited for about two days and followed up, since lacerations on the inside of the lip and in the oral cavity often close better by themselves, without permanent or disturbing scar bulges.
To note: Lacerations can quickly become infected, so it is advisable to see a doctor promptly. If this is not possible at all, the antiseptic ointment Betaisodona (contains the active ingredient "povidone-iodine") is a must for every medicine cabinet or first-aid kit. This can be used for acute but also repeated, long-term treatment.
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