Open wounds

In medicine, a wound is a type of injury in which skin is torn, cut or punctured (an open wound), or where a blunt force trauma causes a contusion (a closed wound). In pathology, it specifically refers to a sharp injury which damages the dermis of the skin.

Open wounds can be classified according to the object that caused the wound. The types of open wound are:

Incisions or incised wounds, caused by a clean, sharp-edged object such as a knife, a razor or a glass splinter.

Lacerations, irregular tear-like wounds caused by some blunt trauma. Lacerations and incisions may be linear (regular) or stellate (irregular). The first step to treat this kind of wound is to stop bleeding, clean and scrub the injury of any loose materials and tissue, and then apply some sort of closing technique, whether through stitching or the application of a pressure dressing. The edges of the wound should be realigned to speed healing and lessen scarring.

Abrasions (grazes), superficial wounds in which the topmost layer of the skin (the epidermis) is scraped off, but the tissue underneath remains intact. Abrasions are often caused by a sliding fall onto a rough surface. Cleansing of the wound and removal of any foreign material is important within the first 24 hours. Treatment is usually non-surgical and consists of the application of a moist dressing to protect the new tissue that forms to heal the abrasion.

Puncture wounds, caused by an object puncturing the skin, such as a nail or needle.

Penetration wounds, caused by an object such as a knife entering and coming out from the skin.

Gunshot wounds, caused by a bullet or similar projectile driving into or through the body. There may be two wounds, one at the site of entry and one at the site of exit, generally referred to as a " through-and-through."

Exercise 7. Answer the following questions:

1. What are the main two types of wounds?

2. What does a wound mean in medicine?

3. What does the wound refer to in pathology?

4. What can open wounds be classified according to?

5. What are incisions caused by?

6. What types of open wounds do you know?

7. What is the treatment of lacerations?

8. What is a “through-and-through” wound?

Exercise 8. Translate the following word-combinations into English:

Вогнепальна рана; рана від проникнення; колоті рани; подряпина і садно; розрив (рвана рана); розріз (різана рана); пошкодження; наскрізна рана; загоювати садно; поверхнева рана; залишатися непошкодженим; найвищий шар шкіри; лінійні розрізи; зіркоподібні розрізи; вирівняти краї рани; прискорити загоєння; зменшити рубець.

Exercise 9. Put questions to the underlined words:

1. Open wounds can be classified according to the object that caused the wound.

2. Incisions or incised wounds are caused by a clean, sharp-edged object.

3. The first step to treat this kind of wound is to stop bleeding.

4. The edges of the wound should be realigned to speed healing and lessen scarring.

5. The topmost layer of the skin was scraped off.

6. Abrasions are often caused by a sliding fall onto a rough surface.

7. In abrasions, the tissue underneath the epidermis remains intact.

8. Treatment consists of the application of a moist dressing to protect the new tissue.

Exercise 10. Open the brackets and translate the sentences into Ukrainian:

1. This type of wounds usually (to refer) to as through-and-through wounds.

2. Closed wounds (to have) fewer categories than open wounds.

3. In abrasions, the topmost layer of the skin (to scrape) off.

4. Abrasions often (to cause) by a sliding fall onto a rough surface.

5. A moist dressing (to apply) on his wound to protect the new tissue. (2 possible variants)

6. The doctors (to apply) six stitches on his wound. (2 possible variants)

7. First, the edges of the laceration (to clean), then realigned.(3 possible variants)

8. This puncture wound (to cause) by a nail.