Bite wound
synonym
English: bite
definition
A bite wound is a wound made by animal or human teeth. The injury pattern is similar to that of a stab wound. It can be of different depths and sizes.
Summary
The bite wound is one of the infected wounds and has a pattern similar to a stab wound. Depending on the force exerted, these injury patterns can range from a superficial defect to the complete severing of a body part. Infection of the wound with bacteria is also dangerous.
Symptoms
The extent of the injury / bite wound does not only depend on the nature of the Jaws, but also on the force acting on it. The larger the jaw, the more pointed the teeth, and the greater the force exerted on a part of the body, the worse the resulting injury. It ranges from slight epidermal defects to the complete separation of a part of the body (e.g. fingers). Large, flat teeth (e.g. molars) are more likely to cause bruises.
Bite wounds can be dangerous not only because of the mechanical force, they are also considered infected wounds. Pathogens enter the wound primarily through saliva. Later can also bacteria and collect germs of other origins in the bite canal. also read Wound healing
therapy
Of the surgeon speaks of a primarily infected wound in the case of a bite injury. A colonization of the bite wound with bacteria is very likely.
The treatment of choice for a bite wound is therefore open wound treatment. The wound is cleaned, disinfected and, if necessary, cut out to remove dead tissue. At the beginning the wound is kept open. It is also cut out when the wound edges are torn and therefore difficult to adapt. Wound edges in particular can be better and with a nicer cosmetic result scar sew together. The possibility of cutting out the wounds is severely limited by the location of the wound. A wound on the face is cut out less generously than a comparable wound on the thigh, for example.
forecast
The bite wounds usually heal well. Depending on the size and depth, scars remain. If vessels and / or nerves have been damaged, the prognosis of course depends on the healing that occurs here.
Prophylaxis of a bite wound
One Wound infection should be prevented in any case. Let the doctor clean wounds. Try not to clean the wound yourself with cloths - this is done by the doctor with sterile compresses. Coarse splinters or the like can be removed.
Every wound that a patient experiences with an unsafe or insufficient vaccination status is usually vaccinated against tetanus. In general, the tetanus vaccination should be refreshed every 10 years.
You can find out more about this under our topic tetanus.
