An injury to the leg that affects the skin, causing a loss of its integrity.
Usually caused by falls, blows, burns, weapons, and other types of accidents.
Symptoms may include bleeding, pain and redness. If infection is also present, it may be accompanied by discoloration, swelling, heat, pain, peeling, stinging, etc. Depending on the severity, medical attention may be required.
The diagnosis is made by interview and physical examination of the injured area.
Depending on the depth of the wound, they are classified as:
Superficial or simple: damage only to the outer layers of the skin (epidermis and dermis) without affecting other structures such as blood vessels, nerves or tendons.
Deep: extends beyond the deepest layer of the skin (subcutaneous cellular tissue), affecting various tissues, skin, muscle or bone. Reconstruction and regeneration are more difficult.
Perforation: they penetrate organic cavities, even injuring organs.
Impalement: caused by a sharp piercing object that becomes lodged in the body, causing various types of injuries and organ involvement.
In many cases, they can be treated at home or on an outpatient basis. If the injury is deep or bleeds profusely, you should seek the assistance of a specialist in a hospital.
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- MedlinePlus: Información de Salud para usted [Internet]. Estados Unidos: National Library of Medicine. Disponible en: https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/woundsandinjuries.html
- Amstrong D, Meyr A. Clinical assessment of wounds. UptoDate [Internet]. 2018. Disponible en:https://www.uptodate.com/contents/clinical-assessment-of-wounds?search=wound%20diagnosis&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=1
