CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT OF WOUNDS IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT: CLINICAL APPROACH AND EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Background: Traumatic wounds are among the most frequent reasons for presentation to emergency departments and require rapid assessment, standardized treatment, and multidisciplinary management to prevent infectious complications and functional sequelae (Prevaldi et al., 2016; Singer & Hollander, 2020). Aim: To analyze the contemporary management of traumatic wounds, evaluate the incidence of complications according to wound type and degree of contamination, and assess the role of debridement, irrigation, and antibiotic prophylaxis in a clinical series at the Clinical Hospital of Tetovo. Materials and methods: A retrospective-descriptive study including 96 patients treated at the Emergency Department of the Clinical Hospital of Tetovo from January to May 2026. Age, sex, wound type (lacerated, contused, scissum, with skin loss, gunshot), anatomical location, contamination level, treatment modality, and postoperative complications were analyzed. Results: Male patients predominated (70.8%), with a mean age of 39.4 ± 16.2 years. Lacerated wounds accounted for 38.5% of cases, and most wounds were dirty (58.3%) or contaminated (27.1%). Surgical debridement and irrigation with sterile normal saline were performed according to contemporary protocols (Goh et al., 2024; Reeder, 2024). Complications were recorded in 13.5% of cases, with local infection in 9.4%, mainly in wounds with skin loss and gunshot wounds. Conclusion: Modern wound management in the emergency setting requires early assessment, accurate classification, adequate cleansing and closure technique, and systematic follow-up. A multidisciplinary approach and contemporary protocols improve clinical outcomes and reduce morbidity (Clare & Baxley, 2023; Prevaldi et al., 2016).