When it comes to severe cuts and bleeding, we offer the necessary complex laceration repairs. This type of medical emergency is nothing to take lightly. Thus, we will our qualified urgent care staff can handle. Complex laceration repairs involve stopping the patient’s bleeding, cleaning out the wound and closing up the area to prevent further damage.
Complex laceration repairs are available at MedOne Urgent Care at St. Augustine in St. Augustine and the surrounding area. If you cut yourself and have a significant injury on any body part, quick action is necessary to prevent additional consequences. Our team has the knowledge and training to care for even the most severe lacerations and preserve your health.
If you have questions about our procedure or need treatment, give us a call today at 904-436-1553.
Common Causes for Complex Lacerations
Cuts are among the most common injuries our team and Dr. Edward Lucas treats. Most people will not go through life without suffering a cut to some degree, though some are much more significant than others. A person may get a minor cut from a sharp edge, pocketknife or a fall on the pavement. Complex laceration repairs are necessary following significant cuts. These can occur from a variety of incidents. Some of these may include some of the following:
- Industrial accidents with machinery
- Car accidents, bike accidents
- Contact with something with a jagged edge
- Falling and hitting sharp corners on the way down
- Accidents when using scissors
Laceration vs. a Cut
While many people use the terms laceration and cut interchangeably, there are differences between them. Both terms indeed involve something breaking the skin, but a cut causes less damage than a laceration. A laceration causes a torn or separated wound that can result in serious bleeding and requires complex treatment.
Patients come to MedOne Urgent Care at St. Augustine for help with all sizes of cuts and lacerations. Many of these do not require complex treatment. However, when the cut is deep, wide or long, the procedure will be more delicate. The timeliness of response is also essential, as the patient will likely be bleeding much more.
Complex laceration repairs are also necessary when cuts are in some regions of the body, including more dangerous spots such as the neck or where there are other arteries.
Seek Professional Treatment
Some complex lacerations are life-threatening and require immediate attention from a medical professional. Patients who are spurting blood or who have passed out due to loss of blood should go to the emergency room. If the patient has bled through clothing or bandages, or if blood is pooling on the ground, the person or someone else should call 911 immediately.
If the patient has been able to control the bleeding, they can come to MedOne Urgent Care at St. Augustine for urgent care. If the patient is unsure of what to do, they need to call us for advice on how to proceed. The first step in this process is to control the bleeding. We will apply pressure to stop the bleeding before addressing the wound itself.
Meanwhile, our team at MedOne Urgent Care at St. Augustine will prepare the patient for treatment with the necessary tools and equipment such as sutures, gauze pads, bandages, staples and skin closure tape. The team may use tissue adhesives instead of sutures. The physician will give the patient a shot of local anesthetic to numb the area. Lastly, the physician will close the wound using staples or stitches.
After the Treatment
Following the treatment, the patient should be careful not to touch the wound area. It is especially important to keep the stitches or staples dry. We will remove the stitches in a few weeks, depending on the size of the wound. At this appointment, we will also ensure the wound is healing correctly.
After taking out the stitches, we will go over any other steps the patient needs to take to complete the recovery process. There will likely be scarring, so our staff will recommend an ointment to apply generously to the area. If the patient feels lasting pain, or if the wound reopens, it is essential to contact our office right away.
Help is Available
Severe lacerations can cause serious pain and damage, but you can have peace of mind to know that we can provide the right treatments. No matter what causes your cut in St. Augustine, make sure you visit our urgent care facility to get the help you need.
Call us at 904-436-1553 if you have any questions about the treatment or other services that we can provide for you and your loved ones. While suffering a laceration can be traumatic and stressful, our team has the knowledge and training to take good care of you and get you on the mend quickly.