ABSTRACT
Simple lacerations involving only skin Pressure is the preferred method to control bleeding; ‘blind’ clamping is to be discouraged, as it may damage important structures.
• Irrigation of the wound with copious amounts of saline or water is a vital step and should be performed as soon as possible; its importance is often underestimated and omitted. High-pressure irrigation has been shown to be more effective in reducing bacterial numbers than low-pressure irrigation, but it may increase tissue damage; using a 20-50-ml syringe with a 16-19G cannula is sufficient in most cases. Antiseptics such as chlorhexidine are not necessary and may actually damage tissues.
