Lammers RL, Hudson DL, Seaman ME. Prediction of traumatic wound infection with a neural network-derived decision model. Am J Emerg Med. 2003 Jan. 21(1):1-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. Imaging studies: Do imaging studies for all wounds involving glass and for wounds if the history or clinical findings suggest a foreign body (eg, puncture wounds of the foot, any puncture deeper than 5 mm, or animal or human bites Human and Mammal Bites Human and other mammal bites (mostly dog and cat bites, but also squirrel, gerbil, rabbit, guinea pig, and monkey bites) are common and occasionally cause significant morbidity and disability... read more ). Plain x-rays are sensitive for glass ( ≥ 1 mm) and most inorganic material (eg, stones). Most organic materials (eg, wood splinters, plastic) are radiolucent but can be detected by ultrasonography or CT Computed Tomography (CT) In CT, an x-ray source and x-ray detector housed in a doughnut-shaped assembly move circularly around a patient who lies on a motorized table that is moved through the machine. Usually, multidetector... read more or MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging Sagittal T1-weighted image of the brain shows normal midline structures. Sagittal proton density–weighted 3-tesla magnetic resonance image of the right knee shows meniscocapsular separation... read more . Lactated Ringer’s solution. Lactated Ringer’s solution provides sodium, potassium, and calcium chloride to the wound, while safely cleaning it and avoiding damage to viable cells. Be careful when the solution is used for continuous irrigation or allowed to dwell inside body cavities; otherwise the solution could be absorbed into the bloodstream, leading to circulatory overload.

Singer AJ, Hollander JE, Subramanian S, Malhotra AK, Villez PA. Pressure dynamics of various irrigation techniques commonly used in the emergency department. Ann Emerg Med. 1994 Jul. 24(1):36-40. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. Wound Healing and Management Node Group. Evidence summary: Wound management – chlorhexidine. Journal of the Australian Wound Management Association 2017; 25: 49–51. JournalKramer A, Dissemond J, Kim S, et al. Consensus on wound antisepsis: update 2018. Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2018; 31: 28–58. DOI: 10.1159/000481545. PubMed

The best way to clean a wound is with saline solution. Saline solution is gentle on the skin, effective at removing dirt and bacteria, and does not interfere with the body’s natural healing process. Can I use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol to clean a wound? Before you start, make sure the cleansing solution is at room temperature or slighter warmer. It can take up to 40 minutes after cleaning for a wound to regain its original temperature, and up to 3 hours for miotic cell division and leukocytic activity to return to normal.Data Extraction: The characteristics of the subjects, interventions, follow-up, outcomes, and findings were extracted from each study by 2 authors and verified by the third. The primary outcome measure was objective and/or subjective wound infection. Secondary measures were proportion of healed wounds, rate of healing, pain and discomfort, and patient and staff satisfaction. All studies were graded independently by 2 authors and verified by a third author to determine methodologic quality. Where appropriate, the data were pooled and analyzed with a fixed-effects model. RevMan software (version 4.2; Cochrane Centre, Oxford, UK) was used for statistical analysis. If you’re dealing with a burn, apply a cold cloth or run the area under cold water. Then, wash the burn with soap and water. The ideal wound cleanser is hypoallergenic, nontoxic to viable tissue, readily available, cost effective, and stable. The wound cleanser should also:

Before cleaning a wound with saline solution, it’s important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. This will help prevent the spread of bacteria and other germs. Once your hands are clean, follow these steps: It is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial that is effective against a variety of pathogens, including MRSA, P. aeruginosa and other bacteria.

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Use a clean, sterile cloth or gauze to gently wipe the wound and remove any excess saline solution. Watt BE, Proudfoot AT, Vale JA. Hydrogen peroxide poisoning. Toxicol Rev. 2004. 23(1):51-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. Older guidelines have discouraged the use of conventional antiseptic solutions as these impair wound healing, reduce wound strength, and increase the rate of infection.