Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD

Educational Pearls:

Wound care in the emergency department aims to prevent future infection
Copious wound irrigation is the important step in preventing wound infection

Studies have shown that irrigation with tap water is just as effective, if not superior, to irrigation with saline or other solutions

Several studies have shown no reduction in wound infection rates when using sterile gloves during wound care

Recent study in the Netherlands compared infection rates between patients undergoing wound repair with and without sterile gloves
Receiving wound care with nonsterile gloves was noninferior to wound care utilizing sterile gloves

References

Fernandez R, Griffiths R. Water for wound cleansing. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Feb 15 2012;(2):Cd003861. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003861.pub3

Heckmann N, Simcox T, Kelley D, Marecek GS. Wound Irrigation for Open Fractures. JBJS Rev. Jan 2020;8(1):e0061. doi:10.2106/jbjs.Rvw.19.00061

Zwaans JJM, Raven W, Rosendaal AV, et al. Non-sterile gloves and dressing versus sterile gloves, dressings and drapes for suturing of traumatic wounds in the emergency department: a non-inferiority multicentre randomised controlled trial. Emerg Med J. Sep 2022;39(9):650-654. doi:10.1136/emermed-2021-211540

Summarized by Mark O'Brien, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz, MD, & Erik Verzemnieks, MD

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