Care instructions that could be given to the 11-year boy who has suffered laceration and sprain include adherence to antibiotics to prevent a subsequent bacterial infection. The patient should take the drugs as indicated and they should contact any healthcare provider in case of any side effects. The patient should not expose the wound to water until further examination to prove otherwise. Therefore, the wound should not be soaked in water, and the patient should avoid activities such as swimming. To keep the wound clean, the wound should be washed with soap and water, and after that, the area should be pat dry or allowed to air dry. The patient should also take note that the bandages used to cover the laceration should be changed promptly when they get dirty, wet or after washing the wound. According to Trott (2012, 108), new and clean bandages should be applied as directed by the physician. Elastic bandages and tapes should strictly be avoided on such wounds as they would cause more aggravation to the wound. Powders and lotions should also not be applied on the wound because they may contain chemicals that are harmful to the wound.
Apart from antibiotic drugs, the patient should be advised to apply antibiotics ointment on the lacerated wound as advised by the doctor. The ointment will be important especially because the wound has been stitched and this will ensure that the stitched areas are not infected by bacteria. The patient will also be told to be vigilant with the wound and perform a daily observation on it to check for any signs of infection such as swelling, redness, and presence of pus. The patient should also be acquainted with self-care skills that will fasten the healing of the wound. Such skills would involve the application of ice on the wound for about twenty minutes to prevent tissue damage and also decrease swelling and pain. The patient should be informed of the importance of the splint that has been applied to the wound. The splint functions to prevent decrease movements and stress on the wound. Therefore, the patient must be shown how to apply and remove the splint. Finally, follow up information is very critical in the management of the wound. The patient will begin a follow up within 48 hours to check for any sign of infection. Also, the patient will need to return in 3 to 14 days to remove the stitches.
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Concerning the question on gangrene, first, it is important for the patient to understand what gangrene is and how it comes about. According to Chen et al. (2011, 83-87), gangrene occurs when there is a lack of blood supply and subsequent oxygen to a tissue resulting from death. It occurs externally, mostly affecting extremities and in rare cases internal tissues. Urgent treatment is required to treat gangrene and this may sometimes include the removal of the dead tissue or amputation. The patient should also understand that there are different types of gangrenes such as dry gangrene, wet gangrene, and gas gangrene. Chronic infections such as diabetes play a role in the complications associated with gangrene. Concerning the case of the patient, they should understand that the type of gangrene they are likely to be affected with is gas gangrene. This type of gas gangrene is associated with poorly cleaned wounds. It can also result from surgery in which blood supply has been completely damaged.
Symptoms of gas gangrene could range from a painful swollen wound, blisters around the wound that are filled with red-brown fluid that are is foul smelling. The wound may also be filled with gas that is produced by the infectious bacteria that is highly toxic and infectious. The patient's uncle was amputated because prompt treatment was not carried out and hence the gangrene spread throughout the foot to a larger extent leading to necrosis. The patient, therefore, should strictly adhere to sterile practices such as cleaning the wound, application of clean bandages and proper use of bandages. Above all, the patient should follow the doctor's instructions and ensure they do a follow-up.
References
Chen, E., Deng, L., Liu, Z., Zhu, X., Chen, X., & Tang, H. (2011). Management of gas gangrene in Wenchuan earthquake victims. Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology [Medical Sciences] , 31 (1), 83-87.
Trott, A. T. (2012). Wounds and Lacerations-E-Book: Emergency Care and Closure . Elsevier Health Sciences.
